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Reviews

Forrest Fang — Gongland
(Projekt 103, 2000, CD)

by Peter Thelen, Published 2001-03-01

Gongland Cover art

Not since his third LP, Migration (1986) or its follow-up The Wolf at the Ruins (1989), has Bay Area ambient / world composer Forrest Fang gone anywhere near the ambient territory covered here on his latest release. As always, Fang has brought his ideas together using a combination of electronic and acoustic instrumentation (the latter often from around the world, and subjected to odd tunings). Also evident here is his continued interest in Indonesian Gamelan rhythms and tunings, although that is sometimes realized at a slow and almost paralyzing pace, such as on “Some Unfinished Business,” resulting in a somewhat dreamlike ambient soundtrack-ish feel. A wide variety of percussion (and samples thereof) drive the often shimmering wall of sonic textures into repeating and interlocking patterns that are both hypnotic and introspective. Melodic elements ebb and flow, growing from the lifepool that generates microscopic elements of tonal color and texture, and kneads them into a spirited and complex macrocosm. Those only familiar with recent works like World Diary and Folklore — both exceptional pieces of experimental world music — are in for a real surprise here; the collision of complexity (of sound and texture) and simplicity (of form and structure) breathes a unique trance-like vision into all of the eleven pieces herein and makes Gongland definitely worthy of investigation. Recommended.

Filed under: New releases, Issue 21, 2000 releases

Related artist(s): Forrest Fang

More info
http://projektrecords.bandcamp.com/album/gongland

 

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