RAIC: Multiplicity
[TLM021]
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A long series of forays into a wide range of musical genres & styles, as executed by a shape-shifting collective of forward thinking musicians...
..................................................... Limited Editions of
8 tracks, 74'21". ..................................................... Recorded between July 2017 - February 2018 at Etching Tin Studios (#1-7) & at Abdul Hakim Bilal's home studio (#8), in Richmond, VA. Tracks 1-7 mixed by Richard Schellenberg, track 8 mixed by Abdul Hakim Bilal. All tracks mastered by Richard Schellenberg. Produced by Samuel Goff (#1-7), Abdul Hakim Bilal (#2, 7, 8), Erik Schroeder (#4, 6) & Zoe Olivia Kinney (#5). RAIC at the time of these recordings: Samuel Goff - Drums (#1, 3, 4, 5 & 6), Percussion (#1, 4, 5 & 6), Vocals (#2, 5 & 7) Abdul Hakim Bilal - Drums (#2 & 7), Guitar (#3), Vocals & Samples (#8) Erik Schroeder - Alto Saxophone (#1, 4 & 6), Tenor Saxophone & Percussion (#1) Zoe Olivia Kinney - Cello & Vocals (#5) Laura Marina - Drums & Percussion (#1), Vocals (#7). guest musicians: Jacob Courington - Acoustic Bass on #1, 4 & 6 / Richard Schellenberg - Bass on #2 & 7 / Tim Harding - Bass on #1 / Sam Byrd - Drums, Percussion on #1 / Rei Alvarez - Percussion on #1 / Jimmy Ghaphery - Sopranino Saxophone, Flute on #1 / Tristan Brennis - Tenor Saxophone on #1 / John Priestley - Guitar on #1 / Tony Nowotarski - Guitar on #2 & 7 / John Bliss - Guitar on #2 & 7 / Lucas Brode - Guitar on #3 ..................................................... Cover art by Martin Hoogeboom. Design by moody alien. ..................................................... Released January 11, 2019. ℗ & © Thirsty Leaves Music. Dedicated to Trey Spruance (#1), Patricia Goff & Zoe Olivia Kinney (#4), Eyvind Kang & Jessika Kinney (#5), Daynee Rosales & Raymond Scott (#6). ..................................................... |
REVIEWS.
"[...] “Balance of the Three” starts us off with a pure cacophony of sound, horns and cymbals alternating feverishly for a full song’s length (around 3.5 minutes) before everything evens out into a somewhat bluesy and tribal soundscape. There is a sense of mystery to the song, the longest on the piece at 22:44. “Brugmansia” is completely different in its soundscape, rough and energized as though being played at battle. It is with “Occlusion” that a slight twang comes through, though it isn’t long before tribal drums, misplaced cymbals, and guitar chords make it feel like an artsy soundcheck. “Leaves Continue to Fall” breezes in on a saxophone, more simplistic in its approach than its predecessors, as it maintains one instrument throughout. “Agitato” is our first real glimpse at vocals – albeit briefly – and a more ethereal and well-layered soundscape stems from its opening chords, slowly collapsing into brief, heightened energy escapades over the course of its hot ten minutes. “Pinguina” is the shortest of the tracks – sitting at a quick 1:35 – and boasts a down-home, blues feel that makes you feel relaxed and confident. Last track “Silene Udulata” rounds it out with a vintage feel, boasting opera-like vocals, eery, high pitched guitar chords, and rough, hard instrumentals that make it feel like the climax track at a rock opera.
It’s definitely not something we would play at our Grandma’s birthday, but insanely fun to jam out to with friends."
Meredith Schneider for Imperfect Fifth
. . .
"Lengthy, highly experimental musical exploration featuring an absolute multitude of artists from all over the world. While it predominantly focuses on experimenting with jazz tapestries, it also veers into black metal on a couple of tracks. An interesting dichotomy, and one that works well. Often whimsical, occasionally challenging, it's an all round fascinating experience that's a lot more easily enjoyed than I initially expected."
Metal Storm
. . .
"Known more succinctly as RAIC, the Richmond Avant-Improv Collective is an ensemble made of a great number of musicians. Correspondingly, they also create music from a wide variety of genres and styles. Multiplicity goes from free jazz to post-metal and noise rock, and does each excellently and doubtlessly. It’s a truly amazing album, very diverse and proficient in many musical languages! A must!"
Can This Even Be Called Music
. . .
"[...] The album opens with a near-23-minute jam that sounds like a Tom Waits soundtrack circa 1992. Given that three of the band’s five full-time members all provide drums or percussion at various times, it won’t surprise you to hear that this first track carves a pretty deep groove.
Next is “Brugmansia.” More atmospheric than its predecessor, the track opens like a post-rock opera and grows increasingly dramatic, which is to say blaring. The transition is purposely rough. Part of RAIC’s appeal is its fondness for pushing listeners outside their comfort zone.
The awkwardness of that shift between the first two tracks is carried forward with the beautifully jagged and intricate “Occlusion.” Its barely controlled freneticism is among the album’s high-water marks.
The album also features two straight-up jazz numbers. “Leaves Continue to Fall” is a stunner. Maybe the album’s finest track. In contrast to what comes before it, we get a gentle, spacious sax solo decorated with soft percussion. Gorgeous. “Pinguina” is more uptempo, but just as emotive. [...]"
Kevin Press for Badd Press
. . .
"The most shambolic, psychedelic and experimental album of this playlist is definitely RAIC’s ‘Multiplicity‘. True to the meaning of this word, multiplicity, the sound of this album exhausts the limits of experimentation bordering on the ‘unlistenable’ and even dares to juxtapose jazz inspired sonic fragments with black metal noisy parts and distorted vocals, creating a really disquieting sound.
We challenge you to listen to this album from beginning to end and stay emotionally ‘intact’…!"
Blaue Rosen
. . .
"[...] RAIC plays avant-garde music with the lightness of a plume that falls through the air! Wide-range and shape-shifting are the correct keywords to appreciate ‘Multiplicity’ as RAIC really doesn’t have the need to continue the chronological line of the "music evolution" in a record that was made as if time could go in any direction, from present to past. So open your mind, open your heart and open your ears, because this album will give you a fantastic and unique experience!"
Glauber K. de Souza for Merchants of Air
. . .
"[...] Multiple consecutive facets, all distinct, yet each unfolding naturally from within its predecessor… or to put it another way, leaving aside the playing for a moment, this album is perfectly edited, balanced and structured. But such comments are just strobed flashes in a larger whole, frozen moments of description that barely scratch the surface of the detail and ambition recorded on this album. Maybe there’s a story here, a play, a film, an opera… It’s (mostly) voiceless, labyrinthine, and devoid of signposts. If you try too hard to find the path, you never will. Just relax and let RAIC lead you through their maze of influences and explorations. The landscape is moving, deceptive, harsh, beautiful, and the journey worth experiencing. Again and again."
Dave Foxall for a Jazz Noise
. . .
"[...] “Balance of the Three” starts us off with a pure cacophony of sound, horns and cymbals alternating feverishly for a full song’s length (around 3.5 minutes) before everything evens out into a somewhat bluesy and tribal soundscape. There is a sense of mystery to the song, the longest on the piece at 22:44. “Brugmansia” is completely different in its soundscape, rough and energized as though being played at battle. It is with “Occlusion” that a slight twang comes through, though it isn’t long before tribal drums, misplaced cymbals, and guitar chords make it feel like an artsy soundcheck. “Leaves Continue to Fall” breezes in on a saxophone, more simplistic in its approach than its predecessors, as it maintains one instrument throughout. “Agitato” is our first real glimpse at vocals – albeit briefly – and a more ethereal and well-layered soundscape stems from its opening chords, slowly collapsing into brief, heightened energy escapades over the course of its hot ten minutes. “Pinguina” is the shortest of the tracks – sitting at a quick 1:35 – and boasts a down-home, blues feel that makes you feel relaxed and confident. Last track “Silene Udulata” rounds it out with a vintage feel, boasting opera-like vocals, eery, high pitched guitar chords, and rough, hard instrumentals that make it feel like the climax track at a rock opera.
It’s definitely not something we would play at our Grandma’s birthday, but insanely fun to jam out to with friends."
Meredith Schneider for Imperfect Fifth
. . .
"Lengthy, highly experimental musical exploration featuring an absolute multitude of artists from all over the world. While it predominantly focuses on experimenting with jazz tapestries, it also veers into black metal on a couple of tracks. An interesting dichotomy, and one that works well. Often whimsical, occasionally challenging, it's an all round fascinating experience that's a lot more easily enjoyed than I initially expected."
Metal Storm
. . .
"Known more succinctly as RAIC, the Richmond Avant-Improv Collective is an ensemble made of a great number of musicians. Correspondingly, they also create music from a wide variety of genres and styles. Multiplicity goes from free jazz to post-metal and noise rock, and does each excellently and doubtlessly. It’s a truly amazing album, very diverse and proficient in many musical languages! A must!"
Can This Even Be Called Music
. . .
"[...] The album opens with a near-23-minute jam that sounds like a Tom Waits soundtrack circa 1992. Given that three of the band’s five full-time members all provide drums or percussion at various times, it won’t surprise you to hear that this first track carves a pretty deep groove.
Next is “Brugmansia.” More atmospheric than its predecessor, the track opens like a post-rock opera and grows increasingly dramatic, which is to say blaring. The transition is purposely rough. Part of RAIC’s appeal is its fondness for pushing listeners outside their comfort zone.
The awkwardness of that shift between the first two tracks is carried forward with the beautifully jagged and intricate “Occlusion.” Its barely controlled freneticism is among the album’s high-water marks.
The album also features two straight-up jazz numbers. “Leaves Continue to Fall” is a stunner. Maybe the album’s finest track. In contrast to what comes before it, we get a gentle, spacious sax solo decorated with soft percussion. Gorgeous. “Pinguina” is more uptempo, but just as emotive. [...]"
Kevin Press for Badd Press
. . .
"The most shambolic, psychedelic and experimental album of this playlist is definitely RAIC’s ‘Multiplicity‘. True to the meaning of this word, multiplicity, the sound of this album exhausts the limits of experimentation bordering on the ‘unlistenable’ and even dares to juxtapose jazz inspired sonic fragments with black metal noisy parts and distorted vocals, creating a really disquieting sound.
We challenge you to listen to this album from beginning to end and stay emotionally ‘intact’…!"
Blaue Rosen
. . .
"[...] RAIC plays avant-garde music with the lightness of a plume that falls through the air! Wide-range and shape-shifting are the correct keywords to appreciate ‘Multiplicity’ as RAIC really doesn’t have the need to continue the chronological line of the "music evolution" in a record that was made as if time could go in any direction, from present to past. So open your mind, open your heart and open your ears, because this album will give you a fantastic and unique experience!"
Glauber K. de Souza for Merchants of Air
. . .
"[...] Multiple consecutive facets, all distinct, yet each unfolding naturally from within its predecessor… or to put it another way, leaving aside the playing for a moment, this album is perfectly edited, balanced and structured. But such comments are just strobed flashes in a larger whole, frozen moments of description that barely scratch the surface of the detail and ambition recorded on this album. Maybe there’s a story here, a play, a film, an opera… It’s (mostly) voiceless, labyrinthine, and devoid of signposts. If you try too hard to find the path, you never will. Just relax and let RAIC lead you through their maze of influences and explorations. The landscape is moving, deceptive, harsh, beautiful, and the journey worth experiencing. Again and again."
Dave Foxall for a Jazz Noise
. . .