Haino, Keiji

Abandon All Words At A Stroke, So That Prayer Can Come Spill [2 CDs]

Label: Alien8 Recordings Country: Canada

"Two recordings by Keiji Haino, focusing on hurdy-gurdy and wave drum. Continuing in the vein of his previous Alien8 release (the 66 minute drone So, Black is Myself ) this double CD remains very dark and very ambient for the most part. Each disc features one long piece using one of the two different instruments and each is individually titled. The main title as well as the individual track titles perhaps give the best insight into the mind of this enigmatic performer and the message he is trying to convey. Keiji Haino is easily one of the most exciting live performers of our time, exuding a passion and an intensity rarely matched.

Disc 1 is a solo piece for hurdy-gurdy and is an absolute gem. It is among the most gentle and beautiful pieces of work we have been graced with by His Darkness. At times comparable with elements of the Affection recording that came out PSF in the early nineties and like disc two recalls the work of Nijiumu, another project of Haino.

Disc 2 starts off really quiet with metallic resonation, slices of treated voice fragments and loops of feedback. It continues with rattling and bursts of vocal shrieks, with periods of absolute silence shattered by jarring belches of sound. Out in anyone's Keiji Haino collection. This is certainly one of Keiji Haino's most psychedelic sounding solo releases, at times reminiscent of early works by Amon Duul's Psychedelic Underground and Experimante recordings and at times it recalls some of the work by pioneering psychedelic ensembles from Japan such as Kawabata Mokoto's Acid Mothers Temple, East Bionic Symphonia and Taj Mahal Travellers."-Alien8