Arastoo & Aemae - “Ostrakon ” - [Isounderscore]

Two side-long ice sculptures built on piano and processing,
the piano coming strictly from Arastoo Darakhshan, while
both add their effects but Brandon Nickell as Aemae delivers
digital doctoring as his primary outlet. The title track
is a wonderful splintering of sound, with glacier cracking
in on the stark black and white keys. Aemae’s timing with
noisier nuance is excellent on this, and he has at least one
treatment like a frozen train going off the tracks! Here the
sum decimates the parts, Arastoo’s delicate hesitance almost
dances around a ghost of Clara Rockmore. A very open piece
with rays of mourning and crystal shards of electronics, it
captures that ever-important balance of order and chaos. If
the first piece is Nickell plating Darakhshan, then perhaps
the second is a reverse, with a layer of Aemae cast out and
the piano imposed on top? Just a guess, maybe I’m too concerned
without tallying yin and yang. The first piece really is a stunner
with a fascinating name that wiki shows as the derivation
for ostracism. Yeah, this is outsider music but I suspect
readily acceptable to many ears, of course we too at KFJC have
been happily exiled beneath main street for decades of
decadence. Limited release on Nickell’s own label.

-Thurston Hunger

Name:

Mail: (This is never shown.)

Website URL:

Security code (from image above)