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Mats Gustafsson: Hidros 9 Mirrors

By Mark Corroto
January 17, 2024
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For saxophonist, composer, conductor

Mats Gustafsson

woodwinds
b.1964

" data-original-title="" title="">Mats Gustafsson, the motto "go big, or go home" has always applied to his music. Whether it is blowing his baritone saxophone in the avant garage band The Thing or battling the Japanese noise artist Merzbow, Gustafsson is constantly expanding concepts of composed and improvised music. Through various ensembles such as Gush, Fire! Orchestra, Swedish azz, Fake The Facts, AALY Trio, Sonore, and his duos with everyone from Sonic Youth's

Thurston Moore

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">Thurston Moore, to Steve Swell,

Christian Marclay

turntable

" data-original-title="" title="">Christian Marclay and

Craig Taborn

piano
b.1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Craig Taborn, he never repeats an idea. The same goes for his ongoing Hidros (sweat) experiments started back in the late 1990s, where he utilized graphic scores along with instant composing. He has dedicated his Hidros music to the likes of Patti Smith, Little Richard, and Gy?rgy Ligeti.

Hidros 9 Mirrors was recorded at the Avant Art Festival in Warsaw, Poland in 2022. Gustafsson assembled 25 musicians comprising of two nine-piece chamber ensembles, The Norwegian NyMusikk Trondheim and The Polish Avant Art Ensemble plus the soloists

Anders Nyqvist

" data-original-title="" title="">Anders Nyqvist (trumpet),

Colin Stetson

woodwinds

" data-original-title="" title="">Colin Stetson (amplified bass saxophone), Hedvig Mollestad (electric guitar),

Per-Åke Holmlander

tuba

" data-original-title="" title="">Per-?ke Holmlander (tuba),

Jerome Noetinger

" data-original-title="" title="">Jerome Noetinger (Revox tape machines), and

Dieb13

electronics

" data-original-title="" title="">Dieb13 (aka Dieter Kova?i?) (turntables). Unlike his other Hidros projects where he would also double on multiple instruments, Gustafsson is occupied here with the sole task of conduction.

Gustafsson's use of graphic scores instigates varying tempos, moods and energies. "Intro" begins with Stetson's bass heavy amplified saxophone stirred by Noetinger and Dieb13 electronics. Gustafsson contrasts the electric soloists and Holmlander's deep tuba with the acoustic sounds of the chamber ensembles' pluck, knock and strum. His coordination of sound is loose, but he is careful to not devolve into noise. He draws out soloists, be it Stetson, Nyqvist or Mollestad to find a path through the landscapes created by both of the chamber ensembles' interpretations of the graphic scores. The sounds are part free improvisation, part minimalism with an orchestrated electronic soundtrack that threatens constantly to go off the rails. It is just that it never does.

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Track Listing

Intro; Mirrors ; Shadows 1; Echoes 1; Reflection; Echoes 2; Shadows 2; Mirrors 2; Outro.

Personnel

Additional Instrumentation

Anders Nyqvist: trumpets (slide, piccolo); Colin Stetson: amplified bass saxophone; Hedvig Mollestad: guitar; Per-?ke Holmlander: tuba; Jerome Noetinger: revox tape machines; Dieb13: turntables; Mats Gustafsson: conductor; NyMusikk Trondheim: Eira Bj?rnstad Foss: violin; Matilda Rolfsson: bass drum; Lars Ove Fossheim: guitar; Michael F. Duch: bass: ?yvind Engen: cello; Kyrre Laastad: drums, electronics; Nicolas Leirtr?: bass; Daniel Formo: organ, prepared piano; Ida L?vli Hidle: accordion: Avant Art Ensemble: Teoniki Ro?ynek: violin; Dominika Korzeniecka: bass; drum; Szymon W��jcik: guitar, electronics; Rafa? R��?alski: bass; Magdalena Bojanowicz: cello; Qba Janicki: drums, electronics; Pawe? Roma��czuk: bass; Barbara Drazkov: organ, prepared piano; Zbigniew Chojnacki: accordion.

Album information

Title: Hidros 9 Mirrors | Year Released: 2023 | Record Label: Trost Records

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