Recorded: 2012.
Old white blues guy from Hunslet. Bona fide genius
The ever-amazing Michael Chapman, one of the select breed of ace Yorkshire guitarists (see Mick Ronson and Bill Nelson), is on a roll these days with plenty of shows, a tribute disc in his honour and a seemingly endless supply of fresh music and recent projects to bolster his seventh decade.
This middle part of a trilogy including The Resurrection And Revenge Of The Clayton Peacock and Polarbear is an astoundingly agreeable slab of sonic minimalism based around a fat and sumptuous guitar chord, taken to careful ambient extremes. Divided into an acoustic original paired with Robert Antony’s electronic remix, the hypnotic effect might be classified as folk system sound, though lovers of Philip Glass and Popol Vuh may detect influences from the African plains.
Suggestive of a man with a restless mind and traveller’s spirit, Pachyderm could have the exact opposite influence on the listener as Chapman provides the perfect accompaniment to a wind-down. Given that his music has always operated on a dual process of challenge while having the ability to soothe, this has undeniable medicinal properties. One of the greatest pleasures of the year
Max Bell Record Collector 12/2012
| Robert Antony |
Electronics |
| Michael Chapman |
Composer, Primary Artist |
Different - but very good !
I've liked Michael Chapman's work since the early 1970s (Millstone Grit, etc. This record is very different from the song-writing albums - and why not? Lou Reed wrote both 'Perfect Day' and 'Metal Machine Music'; Lennon gave us 'Imagine' and 'Revolution No 9'. Nonetheless it is a very fine piece of music, that is one of my top three or four albums to work/write to (along with 'Endless Summer' by Christian Fennesz, 'Aleph' by Terry Riley and William Basinski's 'Disintegration Loops'. Almost nothing happens, very beautifully, for almost an hour. I feel it will be even nicer on summer evenings...
Wydanie angielskie !
DIGIPAK
Płyta kompaktowa-orginalna.
ALTERNATIVE Experimental Folk, Ambient
BLAST FIRST PETITE Records numer katalogowy PTYT 070 z 2012 roku. Made in England.
Stan płyty: NOWA, bez FOLII.
SPIS UTWORÓW: jeśli masz chwilę czasu, to kliknij TUTAJ (otwórz w nowym oknie),
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Tracklist
| 01 |
Pachyderm |
24:05 |
| 02 |
Pachyderm Remix
|
24:14 |
| Credit |
| Robert Antony |
Electronics |
| Michael Chapman |
Composer, Primary Artist |
8/10 from Mike (Staff) on 01 November 2012
I have a feeling our Clint’s a fan of veteran guitar picker Michael Chapman, I’m pretty sure I’ve heard his name mentioned in hushed tones around the office, but this is actually the first time I’ve ever sat down and listened to his music. On this LP he’s got a single 24-minute composition ‘Pachyderm’ on the A side and then there’s a remix with electronics by Robert Antony on the reverse.
On the solo piece on the A side Chapman picks out slow patient chords and lets them ring with a throbbing vibrato. It’s contemplative, glacially paced and somewhat trance-inducing, as the slowly shifting, deft clusters of notes are left to pulse slowly away before the vibrato is removed and there’s a palpable sense of relief as the notes start to decay in their expected crystalline way. It’s very beautiful and goes on for ages.
The remix on the other side adds some eerie drones and static crackles for a respectful interpretation coated with extra haunty weirdness. It gets quite cosmic and bloopy towards the end which for full new age floaty vibes. It’s patient, repetitive, palate-cleansing music to accompany your solitary late-night meditations.
