Tungu/Mia Zabelka/Stefan Strasser

Even though it appears as if this CD was sewn together over time, by collating varied sound input, the program’s refinement improves as it evolves. By the time the last of its 17 tracks is heard it seems that the electro-acoustic meld the three musicians were aiming for has been achieved. Pan European, The Confidence of One swimming against the Current evolved as a joint effort by Viennese Mia Zabelka with violin, voice and electronics; Köln-based Stefan Strasser playing synthesizer, piano, guitar and electronics; with Chernihiv, Ukraine-born Tungu aka Sergiy Senchuk, adding field recordings, acoustic bass, voice and samples. Moving between notated and improvised music, Zabelka has played with the likes of IcosTech and John Russell. Strasser’ work encompasses improv, ambient, Jazz and noise, while Tungu has worked with Éric Normand among others.

Starting with unabashed squeaks, thumps, drones and rattles heard on top of programmed loops, synthesizer warbles and sudden oscillation upsurges, the tracks encompass sudden noise explosions, off-on, strained metallic vibrations, tone granulation and field recordings of distorted male and female voices.
It’s only by the incorrectly named “Imminent Disaster” do Zabelka’s sul ponticello violin slides and buzzing bee-like squeezes at prestissimo speeds assert themselves among the reverberating programmed shards. From that point on the acoustic timbres of this electro-acoustic arrangement find a place in a program, which intentionally or not is mostly dominated by programed voltage expressions.

That way the distorted flanges, digital crackles, rubbing oscillations and sampled voices and footfalls share space with fiddle patterns, double bass strums and later guitar and piano chording. This sonic integration means that kaleidoscopic textures are appropriately balanced. So while tracks like “Comprehensive Expertise” and “Inverted Insights” may ascend to an earth-shattering drone on the first, and high-pitched screech on the second, two different instruments’ string plinks and stops are noticeable on “Comprehensive Expertise”, while piano key clips and bell-like resonations splinter the synthesized buzz as multiple tones ascend on “Inverted Insights”. Subsequent low-pitched and contralto vocalized growls and yodels and a concluding piano chord confirm the human input on the session.

A decided effort by Zabelka to further extend her violin expertise in a more electronic direction with help from the others. But while all three musicians show confidence swimming against what they see as the current, more equity between the acoustic and electronic parts of the concept would have improved the disc. It’s likely the trio’s next effort will resolve the conundrum.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: Confidence: 1. LoopyFloopy 2. Waves Of Memories 3. Elemental Thinking 4. Quantum Noise 5. Cellular Resonances 6. Imminent Disaster 7. Hope Drone 8.  Reading an Upside Down Book 9. Owls vs Birds 10. Profundity Unveiled 11. Reverse River Current 12. Mastery In Motion 13. Whimsical Whirls 14. Comprehensive Expertise 15. Inverted Insights

Personnel: Confidence: Mia Zabelka (violin, voice, electronics); Stefan Strasser (synthesizer, piano, guitar, electronics); Tungu aka Sergiy Senchuk (field recordings, acoustic bass, voice, samples)