Zomes – “Time Was” – [Thrill Jockey Records]

Naysayer   5/22/2013   A Library, CD

This is the second Zomes undertaking, the project of Lungfish star Asa Osborne. This time he takes on a vocalist, Hanna Olivegren, whom he met at a concert and had come up and improvise with his playing. The outcome was so good that they performed live again and then did a transatlantic collaboration which ended up being the “Time Was” CD. This sounds like a natural pairing and it works. Asa plays S..L..O..W.. organ sounds on the type of organ your parents’ friends once had in the family room. It is dirge like throughout with that familiar lo-fi buzz and hum that hits on some sonic memories for me. The tempo rarely picks up to a stroll. It is slow. This lets Hanna sing in Swedish and chant and hold out notes and hum and create dark sonic moods of drawling mystery. Listen to it at night.