PRICE:
$15.50
IN STOCK
ARTIST
TITLE
Astral Cube
FORMAT
CD

LABEL
CATALOG #
EPR 040CD EPR 040CD
GENRE
RELEASE DATE
5/19/2017

Black Cube Marriage is an ensemble consisting of legendary Chicago-based cornetist and sound manipulator Rob Mazurek (Tortoise, Exploding Star Orchestra, Isotope 217), members of his Brazilian connection São Paulo Underground, Austin-based freeform unit Marriage, and special guests Jonathan Horne (guitar, saxophone) and Steve Jansen (tapes, guitar). Formed after shows in late 2015, this 11-person ensemble creates waves of sound that can best be described as cathartic. Astral Cube draws from multiple styles and traditions, and the result is a sonic eruption where past, present, north, east, south, organic, and electronic collide and is poured into the unknown. Traces of cosmic jazz -- think Don Cherry, Pharoah Sanders, Sun Ra -- appear alongside abstract electronics and heavily manipulated instruments -- not unlike Autechre or Matmos. Occasionally the sounds this group creates conjures mental imagery of flourishing nature, colorful wildlife, flowing mountain streams, and ancient rituals -- other times the glistening sonic textures evoke images of buzzing urban power lines or technology gone haywire. It's ceremonial, yet deeply futuristic music. Powerful, unknown, surreal. A sonic outpouring of light an energy. This is post-everything psychedelia at the outer limits of musical possibilities.