A beautiful album of expanded landscapes performed on electronically modified Electronic Wind Instrument, field recordings, virtual instruments and synthesizer from Argentinian sound artist Sergio Merce, his characteristically patient pacing and use of space creating dramatic and beautiful sonic environments that hint at warm narratives in a seductive excursion.
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Sergio Merce-EWI, virtual instruments, field recordings, synthesizer
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Label: Hitorri
Catalog ID: hitorri-968
Squidco Product Code: 33926
Format: CD
Condition: New
Released: 2023
Country: Japan
Packaging: Cardstock Sleeve, sealed
Recorded by Sergio Merce.
"Sergio Merce is a saxophonist and sound artist based in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He is known for his use of a microtonal sax that he built by radically modifying the mechanisms of an alto saxophone and synthesizers to create rich harmonics and slowly moving tonal works, layering aberrant and alluring tones in restrained configurations that allow each stratum of sound to be distinguished and appreciated, creating mesmerizing compositions of elusive and illusionistic sound. The piece "Traslasierra (expanded landscape)" is a composition made up of different moments. In this case Merce plays the EWI (Electronic Wind Instrument), virtual stringed and wind instruments controlled with the EWI, field recordings and synthesizer."-Hitorri
"[...] I started with Sergio Merce, whom I had not heard before. He's from Buenos Aires and plays the saxophone and electronics. Halfway through the twenty-seven minutes I read this, I was surprised; I had not yet heard a saxophone. The text says that he uses a microtonal saxophone that he built "by radically modifying the mechanisms", whatever that means. On 'Traslasierra (expanded landscape)', he plays an electronic wind instrument (EWI), virtual stringed and wind instruments controlled with the EWI, field recordings and synthesizer. Now that I know all of this, it is easier to hear the wind instrument. I am not the biggest lover of the saxophone, but that goes for the more traditional playing, and that's not something that has Merce's interest. The music is very minimal and drone-like but somewhat fragmented. Merce isn't shy of adding a few seconds of silence between the pieces. He layered various sustaining bits together and let them work together in a beautiful, almost Zen-like way. It's hard to tell which are the wind instruments, which electronics and which field recordings. What and where, so I wondered; there is one bit in which I recognized ocean sounds. This is absolutely a great release. Very refined, a revelation. Sadly way too short. Where can I hear some more? [...]"-Frans de Waard, Vital Weekly
Get additional information at Vital Weekly
Artist Biographies
• Show Bio for Sergio Merce "Sergio Merce plays tenor saxophone and four tracks portastudio without tapes, he was born in 1973. He works in projects that involve the interaction between free improvisation and contemporary music. He studied classic saxophone for 9 years in the official conservatory of Moron "Alberto Ginastera", improvisation inside jazz style with Sergio Petravich and with Carlos Lastra, paying especial attention to John Coltrane's techniques and spirit. He works as a music teacher in kindergardens since 1998. He has realized concerts and improvisation work shops for children in Argentina and many countries in Europe. In rcent years he developed his work around extended techniques on the saxophone, and in the same way developed his electronic music. In May 2002 he made an European tour with Lucio Capece, playing as a duo as well as with European musicians in Brussels (Les Bains Connective), Amsterdam (Overtom 301, ciclo "Kraakgeluiden"), London (Red Rose), Berlin (The Kule "Labor Sonor"), Sczecin (Poland, "Musica Genera" Festival). In September 2003 he made a tour around Belgium, France and Holland, playing five concerts based on the famous Cornelius Cardews piece "Treatise", next to the prestigious English guitar player Keith Rowe and his electro-acoustic ensemble. He had played next to some of the more important musicians of the international vanguard scene: Axel Dörner (Germany), Andrea Neumann (Germany), Burkhard Beins (Germany), Julia Eckhardt (Germany / Belgium), Alex Waterman (USA), Robyn Schulkowsky (USA), Bob Rainey (USA), Wade Matthews (USA), Boris Baltschun (Germany), Serge Baghdassarians (Germany), Kyle Bruckmann (USA), Robin Hayward (England)." ^ Hide Bio for Sergio Merce
4/26/2024
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Track Listing:
1. Traslasierra (expanded landscape) 27:00
Electro-Acoustic
Organized Sound and Sample Based Music
Compositional Forms
Woodwinds
Piano & Keyboards
Field Recordings
Mexico, Central & South Americas + Islands
Solo Artist Recordings
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