Christina Kubisch - Mono Fluido [Important Records - 2011]“Mono Fluido” collects together two rewarding & creative slices of drone & sound craft from German sound/ambient artists Christina Kubisch. Both pieces here come from the early to mid 80’s, and both pieces find Ms Kubisch creating very distinctively haunting & at times alien yet emotionally sounding sound worlds. This is Important records fourth release of retro recordings from Ms Kubisch, and it’s up there with the best experimental drone/ sound art that the label has put out thus far. First up from 1981 is “Mondo Fluido" which comes in just under the 32 minute mark and takes up the lions share of this release. The tracks source material consists of: analogue recordings of alto & bass flutes, an old windshield wiper, tubes being whirled in the air, glass, and Kubisch’s own voice. With these elements Kubisch creates a very surprising electronic sounding track with out the use of any electronics. The track is a curious mix of sombre drone brood, sci-fi electronic like bubbling ‘n’ surging, and distant/ mysterious drag ‘n’ breathing texturing. Compositionally the track seems to pull in & out in a sonic wave like motion with the flute textures flowing in & out as the other elements build extra uneasy & sombre sci-fied atmosphere around the flutes drifting & ebbing sinister drone. The second track comes from 1985 & is entitled “Ocigam Trazom”. This track comes in at just under the 8.30 minute mark, and it’s more of shifting sounds cape/ sonic journey compared to the first track. The track was originally designed as a sound installation piece for an exhibition that celebrating Mozart's opera “The Magic Flute". The tracks built around sways of field recordings of chirping birds. Weaving, pulsing & sinister electronics, flute weaves mixed with electro echo & delayed bell tones, gloomy church organ descends mixed with tolling lo-fi skeletal electro beat work, Arabic call to prayer, cat like purring & sing-song drifting female vocalising. It makes for a short yet enchanting & often surprising piece of sound art. The CD packaging is toped with a six panel cd sleeve which features an write-up on both pieces by Ms Kubisch, as well as compositional drawings & charts. This release is a great addition to the other three Kubisch release on Important records, and well worth checking out if you enjoy creative drone work & sound art. Roger Batty
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