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Hu Vibrational: The Epic Botanical Beat Suite

By Dan Bilawsky
April 24, 2015
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Hu Vibrational: The Epic Botanical Beat Suite

The Epic Botanical Beat Suite—the fourth release from percussionist

Adam Rudolph

percussion
b.1955

" data-original-title="" title="">Adam Rudolph's ever-evolving Hu Vibrational—is a trance-inducing rhythmic trip.

Rudolph, the man behind the bulky Go: Organic Orchestra and the Moving Pictures Octet, has always been adept at creating distinct outfits. Hu Vibrational has served as his vehicle for blending African rhythms, minimalistic tides, and electronica-influenced sounds into hypnotic soundscapes. In the past, this mutable band has been a bit heavier in sound yet lighter on personnel. The version of Hu Vibrational that's featured on The Epic Botanical Beat Suite—containing seven percussionists, guitar wizard

Eivind Aarset

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">Eivind Aarset, bansuri flutist

Steve Gorn

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Steve Gorn , bassist-producer

Bill Laswell

bass
b.1955

" data-original-title="" title="">Bill Laswell, and Fender Rhodes ace Alex Marcelo—creates a heady sonic stew with far more breathing room than one might expect with such a lineup.

When thinking of seven percussionists in one place, "subtle" isn't a word that would normally come to mind. But that's the right word to describe the contributions made by Rudolph, Tim Kieper,

Keita Ogawa

percussion

" data-original-title="" title="">Keita Ogawa, Brahim Frigbane,

James Hurt

piano
b.1967

" data-original-title="" title="">James Hurt,

Matt Kilmer

" data-original-title="" title="">Matt Kilmer, and

Tripp Dudley

percussion

" data-original-title="" title="">Tripp Dudley. This crew artfully blends together to create a seamless tapestry of rhythm that shows great tensile strength yet remains texturally thin, for the most part. When these percussionists merge with the mind-expanding contributions of Aarset ("Soma"), the colorful bansuri work of Gorn ("Agobi"), the here-and-gone bass of Laswell ("Ya-Jey"), and the glaze of Marcelo's Fender Rhodes, the end results are mesmerizing.

Those looking for slamming beats, hook-laden melodies, or harmonically complex scenarios won't find them here. This is a different type of band with a different set of goals. Hu Vibrational is all about communing with the groove spirits and creating worlds where earthy rhythms and other-worldly sounds are one.

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Track Listing

Akete; Charas; Soma; Hikuli; Kwa-shi; Agobi; Ya-jey; Akete (Remix).

Personnel

Hu Vibrational

Adam Rudolph: bata, slit drum, rebolo, gangkogoui; udu, percussion; Brahim Frigbane: cajon, tarija, udu, percussion; James Hurt: sogo, kidi, igbo bell, udu, percussion; Matt Kilmer: frame drum, djembe, kanjira, udu, percussion; Tim Kieper: dusun'goni, pandeiro, caxixi, udu, percussion; Keita Ogawa: earthtone drum, frame drum, hadjira, pandeiro, udu, percussion; Tripp Dudley: kanjira, cajon, bayan, frame drum, udu, percussion; Eivind Aarset: electric guitars; Steve Gorn: bansuri flutes; Bill Laswell: electric bass; Alex Marcelo: Fender Rhodes.

Album information

Title: The Epic Botanical Beat Suite | Year Released: 2015 | Record Label: M.o.d. Technologies

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