Unheard Indonesia

***"The latest in the ever expanding Psychic Sounds collection of sonic treasures is from around the world in East Java, Indonesia documented by artist and musician ARRINGTON DE DIONYSO (MALAIKAT DAN SINGA, OLD TIME RELIJUN) during his travels. It focuses on music that accompanied a festival of Pencak Silat, which is a form of kung fu that is part combat form and part dance performance practiced in Java for many centuries with an element of trance that is reinforced by the fast paced repetitive music. This raw recording features a gloriously vibrant din of fiery double-reeded wind instruments, fierce cries, jubilant flutes, and an explosive bass clarinet which all whirl endlessly atop a bed of a dense and dizzyingly assemblage of bells, cymbals, gongs that truly stirs up a visceral and wild concoction of traditional folk music and mutated free jazz. It's all acoustic, but it sounds so loud and incredibly intense. The root sounds of the percussion will definitely sound familiar to listeners of Gamelan music but this is somehow even more manic and spirited. This may be the first ever recording of a bass clarinet crossing frequencies with this particular style of kung-fu music and it's experimental nature succeeds in creating a wild and gorgeous wonderland of exciting images that makes you want to dance, and trance out simultaneously; powerful and exhilarating! Certainly recommended for fans of the raw street recordings of Sublime Frequencies, Nonesuch Explorer series, Ethnic Lyrichord, Indonesian Folkways, or perhaps newer east-meets-free jazz. Like all Psychic Sounds releases, the artwork is as breathtaking as the music, gorgeously packaged in a full color sleeve, screenprinted by CORUM, and includes a fold out insert with inspired drawings and liner notes by Dionyso as well. Utterly fantastic!"—Karen (psychicsoundrecordingsblogspot.com)