Spiral Wave Nomads – “Magnetic Sky” – [Twin Lakes Records]

carsonstreet   12/19/2022   12-inch, A Library

This is the third LP by the New York/Connecticut duo, Spiral Wave Nomads. Magnetic Sky is a set of expanding improvisations. Employing the strings of Albany’s Eric Hardiman (Sky Furrows/Burnt Hills/Rambutan/Century Plants) and the drums of New Haven’s Michael Kiefer (More Klementines/Rivener/Drifting North), along with electronic tones generated by the both of them.
The duo creates massive sonic width and depth by piling up instrumental passages in layers. This allows the music to peel itself like a psychedelic onion spinning crazily in a forgotten pocket of deep space. Eric’s electric guitar parts are assembled to make him sound like a small orchestra at times, quietly blowing the lid off the notion that there are only two players creating these ceaseless swirls. Multiplied by tape (or the digital equivalent thereof), the strings, the drums and the keys refract everything like dark tone mirrors in a freaked out carnival funhouse.