Sunday, May 6, 2012

(calm inferno archives) - joining you (Den Of Dead Trees Recordings)


(calm inferno archives) is the solo project of Ryan Tomatsello,  from San Jose drone architects Blood Into Water. He creates drone movements to break down religious mindsets and have a direct spiritual experience without contradictory rules and dogmas interfering. With song titles like "Drones For God" and "Cathedral Side Stepper," what we have here is the sound of a new cosmology, contemplation of the empty spaces, vastness and creation, full blown sonic mysticism.

Joining You is short and sweet, clocking in at a scant 25 minutes, which is a minor miracle for a drone record. Like Oscar Wilde said about smoking, a short drone record is a;perfect type of a perfect pleasure. It is exquisite, and it leaves one unsatisfied. It shows consideration and self-restraint, it indicates that Ryan Tomatsello knows what he is trying to say, and ruthlessly self-editing, mandatory instincts in this day and age of media deluge. What we are left with is a type of Dark Ambient music that does not rely on boring New Age pads and Lustmord pastiche. Instead, Joining You is a modern take on musique concrete, with hypnotic tones perfectly poised in the stereo field, ricocheting around the room to create a mesmerizing, ritualistic atmosphere, made with an early 80s industrial sensibility. One imagines a mad scientist's laboratory, with sparking Tesla coils and spinning reels spitting out esoteric data. It sounds like a radio telescope, pontificating on the boundaries of space.


Den Of Dead Trees is a noise label run by Andrew Consiglio, from Vancouver, Wa. Its a non-profit labor of love, dedicated to spreading the gospel of noteworthy experimental musicians that he knows, which allies him with the mission over here at j's heaven. Just trying to put good art out into the world. Just trying to make something holy and pure. What was once subterranean and unknown comes to the light of day, ripe for the picking, and those with a curious mind can find such riches, such wisdom. With (calm inferno archives) talk of sonic mysticism and wide-eyed wonder, the Den of Dead Trees roster seems like kindred spirits and worthy of yr attention.

My band Meta-Pinnacle is playing with Andrew's solo project, Holy Filament, (previously discussed here) at Ella Street Social Club, this coming Wednesday. Its an honor and a pleasure to be participating in an honest-to-god noise happening, which is a rare event in Portland. Come on out and experience the weirdness.

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