Label: Elevator Bath eeaoa052

オールドスクール・ヒップホップの歴史においても間違いなく重要な存在である、あのポストパンク/ファンクのパイオニア的バンドLiquid Liquidの創設メンバーであり約40年間に渡りオーディオ実験の探求を続けるDennis Young。マリンバ奏者兼パーカッショニストとしてよく知られていますが、本作はその後のアンビエント的作風の流れを経て辿り着いたギターを軸としたエクスペリメンタル録音。2018年秋に新しく購入したギターペダルの音に魅了され、そのまま4〜6週間を掛け作品として仕上げてしまったものであり、ガキゴキとした鉱物サウンドを出したり、モワモワと揺蕩う幽玄な表現に持っていたりと、恐らくこの人物のアヴァン精神が最も色濃く出たアルバム。ジャケ・アートワークのイメージ、クリアヴァイナルという仕様がメチャメチャ作風にハマっています。

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As a founding member of Liquid Liquid, the brilliantly influential and oft-sampled post-punk/funk pioneers of the early '80s, Dennis Young has been well-versed in audio experimentation for around 40 years now. From rhythmic no wave tastemaker to new age champion to experimental guitar explorer, Young's fearless pursuit of new methods and new sounds continues undiminished by trends. And so it goes with "Bella," Young's first solo album of entirely new material in more than 15 years. For "Bella" charts yet another new direction in Young's unpredictable career. This collection of instrumental pieces may surprise those familiar with Young's previous solo projects (issued by labels such as Bureau B, Athens of the North, and Staubgold, among others), but his willingness to explore timbres of all kinds should have prepared us all to expect the unexpected. If Liquid Liquid were roughly analogous to A Certain Ratio, "Bella" is closer to The Durutti Column in its guitar-based examination of textures and moods. But Young's voice, as composer and architect of sound environments, remains his own. From the occasionally harsh to the sublimely sensitive, “Bella” proves yet again that Dennis Young’s ear for intricacy and depth is as strong as ever.

"'Bella' is a recording that happened by accident. I purchased a new guitar pedal back in the fall of 2018 to see how it sounded with the rest of the chain of pedals I had in place. As I started recording, to my surprise, songs started to appear, and over the next 4-6 weeks, I had enough material to produce and mix the music that was to become 'Bella.' I was also lucky to find Colin Sheffield whose label was the perfect outlet for this work. Sometimes the stars line up! As always, thanks for listening!"
- Dennis / Fall 2019