Frédéric Nogray ~ Nelki: Musique for Crystal Singing Bowls

'Frédéric Nogray diverts his rock crystal crucibles from their usual function in the silicon industry to generate an ample and tactile music, a music that succeeds as much in making the listener's intellect wander as it does in moving the material itself. Although entirely acoustic, this music is powerful, the different-sized bowls being generators of distinct waves operating in the range of frequencies from infra- to ultrasonic. Because of their superimposition and the acoustics of the space they are in, chimeras or interferences are born. A musical event partaking simultaneously in the creation of perception and corporal experience.' prêle

'When it comes to the humble singing bowl, it is now so widely used in improvised music that it’s almost a cliché, especially in clumsy hands [isn’t everything ?]. However Frédéric Nogray’s album features only the sound of the large crystal bowls. They are big white glass bowls that emit [forgive the pun] crystal clear tones of varying intensity depending on the rate at which said bowl is sounded by means of the player rubbing a special mallet like object around the rim of the bowl. Now, to create music made only with these instruments without it ending up sounding anything like those god awful new age / music for massage cd’s is damn hard. It takes a keen sense of composition and timing. Frédéric has both & has created a 51 minute listening experience that offers the listener both a sense of calm and of musical depth. I dare say the difference between this kind of music & the dull new age singing bowl approach is actually a thin knife edge for the performer – something so small & yet a million miles apart in the result. It is this difference which is the reason you should get hold of this release if you appreciate contemporary improvisation or composition. If you’re more into incense & wheat grass enemas then look elsewhere.' ~ jez riley

seems our love affair with france has bloomed considerably in recent moons, as it becomes apparent they've got it locked down in regard to amazing record labels & mind expanding composers. we dig the architecture too :P hears yet another reason why we pay attention to what's crackin across the pond. initially heard the first piece on continuo's radical glass musique # 2 compilation, a superlative series. transcendental seems like an appropriate adjective. 320 remerciements à espilos. please support the artist