The Squid's Ear
Writing about improvised, contemporary, experimental and unusual music,
following the activities of Squidco...
  •  •  •     Join Our Mailing List!



The Squid's Ear




Heard In

Reviews of artist releases:
cd's, books, magazines, &c.


  JoyfulTalk 
  Muuixx
  (Drip Audio) 


  
   review by Christopher Mandel
  2016-08-31
JoyfulTalk: Muuixx (Drip Audio)

Muuixx by Joyful Talk is experimental in the strict sense that it's very unique and uses one-of-a-kind instruments and compositional techniques, but has none of the sonic tension that characterizes most experimental music. It is almost, but not quite, a pop dance album.

Joyful Talk is one of the personas of Canadian musician, Jay Crocker. Cocker's musical interests are diverse; as a guitarist and singer, he has explored areas as divergent as pop and free jazz. Muuixx is as far from either of those poles as they are from one another. As Joyful Talk, Crocker dives headlong into danceable electronic music, featuring 14 handmade instruments, and an individualized, circular composing method. The album is definitely electronic music, is definitely danceable, but is definitely not stereotypical electronic dance music.

The fundamental sound of Muuixxis a quirky, fun, dance feel featuring analog sounds reminiscent of the early 80s, mixed with acoustic instruments and strange noises that emerge from who knows where. Contrasting with this foundation are moments of thick harmony and occasional drones.

Though highly repetitive, Crocker avoided loops and samples in the recording studio. Instead, he carefully composed every note and performed them by hand. Careful listening reveals that while ideas reemerge over and over, they are typically subtle mutations rather than literal restatements. This separates the sound and craftsmanship of the album from average dance music. A fun and light-hearted release, while also functioning as a substantial artistic statement.







Comments and Feedback:



More Recent Reviews, Articles, and Interviews @ The Squid's Ear...


The Squid's Ear presents
reviews about releases
sold at Squidco.com
written by
independent writers.

Squidco

Recent Selections @ Squidco:


Derek Bailey/
John Stevens:
The Duke of
Wellington
(Confront)



Paul Dunmall:
Away With
Troubles And Anxieties!
(Discus)



Shifa (
Musson/
Thomas/
Sanders):
Ecliptic
(Discus)



Natsuki Tamura/
Satoko Fujii:
Ki
(Libra)



Borah Bergman/
Anthony Braxton/
Peter Brotzmann:
Eight By Three
(Mixtery)



Hedvig Mollestad Trio:
Bees In
The Bonnet
(Rune Grammofon)



Acid Mothers Temple &
The Melting Paraiso
UFO:
Black Mountain
ide
(Rolling Heads)



Evan Parker/
Bill Nace:
Branches (
Live at Cafe OTO)[VINYL]
(Open Mouth)



Alexander Hawkins/
Taylor Ho Bynum:
A Near Permanent State
Of Wonder
(RogueArt)



Joseph Holbrooke (
w/ Derek Bailey/
Gavin Bryars/
Tony Oxley):
Last Live 2001 -
In Memoriam
Derek Bailey
And
Tony Oxley
[2 CDs]
(Tzadik)



Zeena Parkins:
Modesty Of
The Magic Thing
(Tzadik)



Dave Douglas (
Douglas/
Ridout/
Adewumi/
Brennan/
Pass/
Royston):
Alloy
(Greenleaf Music)



Ivo Pereleman/
Nate Wooley/
Matt Moran/
Mark Helias/
Tom Rainey:
A Modicum
Of the Blues
(Fundacja Sluchaj!)



Angles 11:
Tell Them
It's The Sound Of Freedom
(Fundacja Sluchaj!)



Sifter (
w/ Lisa Mezzacappa):
Flake/
Fracture
(Queen Bee Records)



Jean-Marc Foussat:
Abbatage
(Fou Records)



Chester Hawkins:
Apsis
(Intangible Arts)



Karl Evangelista's Apura +
Andrew Cyrille:
Bukas
(577 Records)



Frode Gjerstad/
Alexander von Schlippenbach/
Dag Magnus Narvesen:
Seven Tracks
(Relative Pitch)



Kaze (
Fujii/
Tamura/
Orins/
Pruvost) with/ Koichi Makigami:
Shishiodoshi
(Circum-Libra)







Squidco
Click here to
advertise with
The Squid's Ear






The Squid's Ear pays its writers.
Interested in becoming a reviewer?




The Squid's Ear is the companion magazine to the online music shop Squidco !


  Copyright © Squidco. All rights reserved. Trademarks. (17962)