Jodie Lowther and A.R.C. Soundtracks - The Blow Volume 4

  by Maarten Schiethart

published: 14 / 1 / 2019

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Review

Unreciprocal by nature, the Blow Series tends to melt together sounds from two participants, preferably in juxtaposition to each other, but occasionally not such as now. On Volume 4, Jodie Lowther occupies Side 1 with twelve snappy workouts and her counterparts enter on her last track before moving on to their own twenty-eight minute composition 'Taken Up & Dissolved' which might just as well have been a radio play for BBC4. Alas Britain, unlike Germany where one Ergo Phizmiz has curated hours of radio plays, still isn't ready to grant time and space to adventurous music such as that in the Blow Series. Jodie Lowther makes jingle bell excursions through space with her twelve tracks which mostly seem to defy gravity. One of these, 'Dream of the Melting Plane', reminds me of the subtle piano chords of Erik Satie, halted by quirky backsteps. More than a puzzling radio play, Jodie Lowther's 12 tracks build a fantasy of sound. On Side 2, A.R.C. Soundtracks stick to one piece. 'Taken Up & Dissolved', which lasts for half an hour and takes the listener again through a play, but with a more evocative and sinister narrative. A.R.C. Soundtracks also reference Erik Satie's works in their music. Minimalistic and yet profound, Front & Follow present this series in proud tradition, in which soundscapes go awash and mere noodlings become genuine compositions. An accomplished collaboration to say the least.

Track Listing:-

1 The Trees
2 Hall Of Faces
3 Red Key
4 Sea Fret
5 Tourmaline
6 Dream Of The Melting Plane
7 Delirium Sea
8 Spiral Ascending
9 Peacock Ore
10 Cornered
11 Fish Eye
12 The Occasional Sleeper
13 Taken Up & Dissolved

Label Links:-

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