That’s hot…err, I mean this music is hot. My first thought upon listening to Lukas Ligeti’s CD Afrikan Machinery is “Where are we…seriously?” His musical language is eclectic and shifting to the extreme. One moment I picture myself dancing in a club to his beats and the next I’m experiencing harpsichord-esque sounds that hint, at least to my ears, at a baroque, Bachian world. In Afrikan Machinery, Ligeti explores a mixture of electronic samples and a brand new instrument entitled the Marimba Lumina—according to the CD liner notes “an electronic marimba of sorts designed by the synthesizer pioneer Donald Buchla.” The music sounds a little something like electronica meets baroque meets African and various other world instruments meets your favorite pop tune all shaken and stirred then poured into a colorful martini glass for your listening pleasure. It’s fun, fast, and hypnotizing.
With the exception of the first track Balafon Dance System, Ligeti performs all the music on his CD live as part of his repertoire. In fact, he will be in Boston this Thursday, March 25th at 8pm at the Axiom Gallery for New and Experimental Media. I for one want to see him dancing—and by dancing I really mean moving fast and furiously as he performs on the Marimba Lumina—to create the myriad of sounds I experienced on his CD. Let me tell you a bit about my response to it.
Balafon Dance System is techno gone twisted. The track makes me want to groove, but the loops keep changing and shifting in a way that keeps me from truly being able to tap my foot. Also, Ligeti manipulates the harmonic language with heavy use of quarter tones—lovely pitches found between the half step scalar world that those of us in the Western Music tradition are used to hearing. Track two Entering: Perceiving Masks; Existing; Perceiving Faces (listen below) shouted club scene at me by opening with the ringing of splash cymbals coupled with cables being plugged in and out of amps. The piece is built on sounds that remind me of pop music, dancing, and drinks; it’s a hot mess mixture of chaos and reason; intensity and texture.
Entering: Perceiving Masks; Existing; Perceiving Faces:
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Chimaeric Procession presents a more calming, slow moving audio experience; think undulation and water. This track includes hints of baroque music, and, near the end, sampled flute. Tracks 4 and 5 share a title, Great Circle’s Tune I and Great Circle’s Tune II respectively. Tune I showcases samples of Ligeti playing pizzicato (plucking) on cello and whistling. The whistling gives the piece a sort of happy-go-lucky feel that recalls Bobby McFerrin’s song “Don’t worry be happy.” Tune II begins with slow guitar strums and fast moving electronics that just float over the guitar. Ligeti quickly interrupts this moment of “easy listening” with masses of intense dissonance and drum solos that explore dance rhythms. Nightmare Logic, track 6, is a psychedelic cross of drum beats and chant, and Stories of the Unknown, the final track and longest on the CD, is a musical exploration of Africa and “Ngoma Buntibe” funeral music from Zimbabwe.
Every piece on this CD transports me to different countries and exotic locations. Ligeti’s sounds bring a collage of specific images to my mind; thus, he does an excellent job of directly connecting his music to the individual. I recommend the CD, and, of course, definitely check out the concert this Thursday. I know I will…
Composer/percussionist Lukas Ligeti @ the Axiom Gallery for New and Experimental Media, 141 Green St., Boston. Thursday March 25th @ 8:00PM, $8.
