Alister Spence

Asteroid Ekosystem
Sounds Have Dreams
Alister Spence Music ASM 017

Antipodean sound analysis is on display with this two perceptive session while veteran Australian pianist Alister Spence burrows through solo piano adaptations as well as interacting with three  similar timbre travelers. Always Ever contains 16 keyboard mediations leavened with preparation and percussion. Sounds Have Dreams is a new disc by Asteroid Ekosystem when Spence investigates textures with bassist Lloyd Swaton, drummer Toby Hall and guitarist Ed Kuepper. Locally and internationally Spence has worked with everyone from Satoko Fujii to Tony Buck; Swanton is a member of The Necks; Hall with The Catholics, while Kuepper divides his time between so-called avant Rock and Improv.

The quartet disc is closer to the latter than the former since many of the tracks balance on near opaque and thick textures. Some of the guitar riffs which were recorded separately at a different time, are cannily worked into the arrangements. Although there may also be six-string flanges, twangs and clangs, the drummer’s pivots including martial beats and press rolls plus the bassist’s in sync pulses and stops keep the guitar extensions from overpowering the others. Meanwhile keyboard agility is used to decorate many of the pieces with tinkling tones at various pitches. On the other hand, elsewhere Spence’s playing turns downright Jazz-like with layered and continuous key patterns or challenges – or is it parody? – of the overtly seriousness of the others when he introduces accelerated honky-tonk-like vamps.

The quartet also settles into congenial swing with quiet brush work, tinkling piano keys and sympathetic guitar riffs as on “Perpetual Fantasy”. Yet the dissension expressed in the upfront intertwining of guitar and piano riffs more likely defines Asteroid Ekosystem’s raison d’être. On “Sun Spiral” for instance, intense piano introduction advances continuously, yet has to share space with programmed electronic respirations, double bass rumbles and oppressive drum ruffs. Resolution involves ascending piano key chiming that are almost gentle when compared to guitar twangs. Expected near-flowery piano targets set up the focus of “Determination” even as up and down metallic guitar flanges and buzzes take up additional space seconded by bass and drum patterning. Spence’s eventual processional exposition leads Kuepper to affirming  comping.

Despite Kuepper’s slams and metallic strums, “Space Buzz” is dominated by Spence’s pianism. Outputting boogie-woogie exuberance that’s more Jerry Lee Lewis than John Lewis, he weaves taunt story telling into an emotional exploration of pedal-point riffs. Somehow Kuepper’s string rubs which slide from outer space to Opry suggestions fit perfectly.

Brimming demonstrations of Spence’s keyboard skill take up the 16 tracks on Always Ever recoded in real time with no editing or overdubbing. Cycling through a variety of pitches and tempos on these short or medium length tunes, keeping the preparation and percussion supplements to a minimum yet also probing all parts of the instruments from the keyboard to the soundboard to its outer tensile wood qualities encompass his features.

Sometimes, as on “Halo”, isolated key strokes can sound shaded almost ponderous as crystal clear tones are affiliated. Occasionally, as on “Semi-Formal Garden”, he turns to a simple baroque-sounding keyboard affiliation ,with pedal pressure and unexpected emphasis. On the other hand Spence is able to exhibit Free Jazz-like extensions as during “Play of Light” which is all prestissimo and emphasized rhythms and speedy cross pulses that appear almost unstoppable. Alternating between sprightly and severe, implements placed on the strings are slapped and resonated on “Begin From the Middle” to suggest electronic whizzes programmed with ring modulator like gonging; whereas on “Sparkler” stopped keys emphasize their woodenness until he later frails strings with almost guitar like precision.

Among the drones, ricochets and stops he pulled from the keyboard, implements and piano harp, Spence proves his ambidextrous skills on “Searchlight”/ Here an ear-splitting whistle resulting from string excitement is succeeded by a solid buzz then discordant keyboard patterns that evolve in tandem with sweeping almost Russian romantic keyboard swells.

Australia may be on the opposite side of the world for many. Yet musically and otherwise numerous exciting sound transformations are taking place. These CDs preserve just two of them.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: Sounds: 1. Cirrus 2. Storm Advance 3. April Dancer 4. Blue Drift 5. Catch Breath 6. Off axis 7. Open to 8. Perpetual Fantasy 9, Space Buzz 10. Sun Spiral 11. Sounds Have Dreams 12. A Slower Dance

Personnel: Sounds: Alister Spence (piano and percussion); Ed Kuepper (guitar and pedals); Lloyd Swanton (bass) and Toby Hall (drums and percussion)

Track Listing: Always: 1. Mystic 2. Determination 3. Play of Light 4. Distant Cousins 5. Afternoon at Rancom Street 6. Begin From the Middle 7. Rain Phase 8. Semi-Formal Garden 9. Tonal Dance 10. Halo 11. Sparkler 12. Searchlight 13. Top Spinner 14. Random Access Counterpoint 15. Talking Slowly with Lorikeets 16. Scrape Rattle Strike

Personnel: Always: Alister Spence (piano, preparations and percussion)