Petric, Joseph – “SEEN” – [Redshift Records]

kittywompus   8/31/2022   A Library, CD

Performed by Canadian accordionist Joseph Petric, this 2022 release is a collection of commissioned songs from various artists over Petric’s long and fairly prolific career. The album’s title work SEEN, a three-part work by Norbert Palej, is intended as a demonstration in spiritual contemplative movement through the accordion’s “intimate” respirations and it is easy to hear as such throughout all three “visions”. A standout track, Pneuma (track 7) was written and produced in 1986 by composer and music curator Peter Hatch; it contains computerized “improvisation” originally created through the use of software of the Yamaha CX5M that has since been imported to Max/MSP due to the obsoletion of said hardware. Nevertheless this track evokes a very surreal and unsettling feel with the use of these computer generated chirps that break through the tracks acoustic sound. Tracks run from 7 minutes and 34 seconds to 14 minutes and 52 seconds, so settle in and enjoy. I would also like to note that SEEN is dedicated to the memory of Leo Niemi (1931-2021), who built and maintained the instrument heard on SEEN.