Mitchell's, Nicole Black Earth Ensemble / Intergalactic Beings
| Album: | Intergalactic Beings | Collection: | General | |
| Artist: | Mitchell's, Nicole Black Earth Ensemble | Added: | Mar 2016 | |
| Label: | Fpe Records | |||
A-File Activity
| Add Date: | 2016-03-15 | Pull Date: | 2016-05-15 | Charts: | Classical/Experimental |
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| Week Ending: | Apr 10 | Apr 3 | Mar 20 |
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| Airplays: | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Recent Airplay
| 1. | Apr 09, 2016: | Goggles Optional
The Ooli Moves |
3. | Mar 19, 2016: | Music Casserole
The Ooli Moves |
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| 2. | Apr 02, 2016: | Music Casserole
The Ooli Moves |
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Album Review
DeVoss
Reviewed 2016-03-09
Reviewed 2016-03-09
General Description:
“Intergalactic Beings” is a live performance recorded in 2010. The composer is American jazz flautist Nicole Mitchell performing with her Black Earth Ensemble. This work was commissioned by the Chicago's Museum of Contemporary Art and is considered a suite. Mitchell’s musical conception is based on the Xenogenesis novels of American science fiction writer Octavia Butler. As you listen, you will hear many influences ranging from early sci-fi soundtracks to early Beck to even the video game music of Donkey Kong and Mario Bros. The vocals of Mankwe Ndosi may be off-putting when guttural or shrieking, but keep listening. The acoustics were not in her favor and she is supposed to be an alien voice for some of it. Instruments that are flexed in not the usual ways are: flute, tenor sax, bass clarinet, trumpet, sralai thom (Cambodian; similar to an oboe), violin, cello, guitar, bass, percussion, and drums.
– FCC Compliant: YES
– Recommended Tracks: 1, 3, 4, 9
– Track Reviews:
1. (10:21) Phases of Subduction - a good example of what you’re in for with this suite; subduction essentially consists of a sideways and downward movement
2. (5:31) Cycle of Metamorphosis - similar sounding to a practice wing at music conservatory; hard-to-hear spoken words intermingled
3. (8:06) The Ooli Moves - funky lively percussion with lots of repetitive chordal strings on top; Star Trek danger music - Yes!
4. (3:59) Dripping Matter - glissando-ing creepy video game music (Donkey Kong and Mario Bros); some mournful desperate vocals
5. (7:44) Negotiating Identity - Twilight Zone (Bernard Herrmann) blasts of sax and horn; train-like; this is the sort of stuff that my dog would leave the room when played <grin>; strangled vocalizing mostly
6. (2:50) Web of Hope - pizzicato strings and dreamy vocalizing
7. (5:50) Fields of Possibility - very chaotic with insistent repetitive motive; nails on chalkboard sensations
8. (6:19) Resisting Entanglement - a tuning of an alien orchestra; more dreamy vocalizing; a melody emerges towards the end (it is from the opening motive on track 1)
9. (9:45) The Inevitable - continuation of a very Star Trek-like melody seemingly from Spok’s planet Vulcan then being taken over by the Italians playing some “Con Te Partirò”; breaks into a more jazzy piece with a really nice percussion solo towards the end
“Intergalactic Beings” is a live performance recorded in 2010. The composer is American jazz flautist Nicole Mitchell performing with her Black Earth Ensemble. This work was commissioned by the Chicago's Museum of Contemporary Art and is considered a suite. Mitchell’s musical conception is based on the Xenogenesis novels of American science fiction writer Octavia Butler. As you listen, you will hear many influences ranging from early sci-fi soundtracks to early Beck to even the video game music of Donkey Kong and Mario Bros. The vocals of Mankwe Ndosi may be off-putting when guttural or shrieking, but keep listening. The acoustics were not in her favor and she is supposed to be an alien voice for some of it. Instruments that are flexed in not the usual ways are: flute, tenor sax, bass clarinet, trumpet, sralai thom (Cambodian; similar to an oboe), violin, cello, guitar, bass, percussion, and drums.
– FCC Compliant: YES
– Recommended Tracks: 1, 3, 4, 9
– Track Reviews:
1. (10:21) Phases of Subduction - a good example of what you’re in for with this suite; subduction essentially consists of a sideways and downward movement
2. (5:31) Cycle of Metamorphosis - similar sounding to a practice wing at music conservatory; hard-to-hear spoken words intermingled
3. (8:06) The Ooli Moves - funky lively percussion with lots of repetitive chordal strings on top; Star Trek danger music - Yes!
4. (3:59) Dripping Matter - glissando-ing creepy video game music (Donkey Kong and Mario Bros); some mournful desperate vocals
5. (7:44) Negotiating Identity - Twilight Zone (Bernard Herrmann) blasts of sax and horn; train-like; this is the sort of stuff that my dog would leave the room when played <grin>; strangled vocalizing mostly
6. (2:50) Web of Hope - pizzicato strings and dreamy vocalizing
7. (5:50) Fields of Possibility - very chaotic with insistent repetitive motive; nails on chalkboard sensations
8. (6:19) Resisting Entanglement - a tuning of an alien orchestra; more dreamy vocalizing; a melody emerges towards the end (it is from the opening motive on track 1)
9. (9:45) The Inevitable - continuation of a very Star Trek-like melody seemingly from Spok’s planet Vulcan then being taken over by the Italians playing some “Con Te Partirò”; breaks into a more jazzy piece with a really nice percussion solo towards the end
Track Listing
| 1. | Phases Of Subduction | 5. | Negotiating Identity | |||
| 2. | Cycle Of Metamorphosis | 6. | Web Of Hope | |||
| 3. | The Ooli Moves | 7. | Fields Of Possiblility | |||
| 4. | Dripping Matter | 8. | Resisting Entanglement | |||
| 9. | The Inevitable | |||||