SPARK II by Amalgamated

Reviews:

Following Spark 1 here is now Spark II by Amalgamated, a group including Cory Bengtsen (Rebekah's Tape on sampler, keyboards, saxophone, turntable), Bob Newell (of Headless Ballerinas Underwater on sampler, keyboards, percussion, drum machine), Mike Richards (also of Rebekah's Tape, but also the man behind Makeshift Music and Intangible Cat on guitars, effects drums, percussion, keyboards and tapes), Phil Klampe (of Homogenized Terrestrials on keyboards and sampler) and D. Petri & Gus Kumo on editing and mixing - just like before (I copied that bit from the old review). They have been playing for about eight years now and at long last decided to release some of their music. Elsewhere I say I love 3″ CDRs, which is true, but I wouldn't mind getting a full length of Amalgamated. They play some intelligent music, of psychedelica, exotica, weirdness, musique concrete, dance beats and even in 'Aura Siphon', the longest cut here, a nice jazzy/trippy drum loop and spacious piano. All cleverly sampled together, perhaps from other sources, and maybe we should call this plunderphonics, but due to the absence of voices, and the krautrock exotica of 'Musst', its more Nurse With Wound than Negativland. Excellent music all around, and while this is on 3″CDR, I had it on repeat for quite some time this afternoon."

-FdW, Vital Weekly

Tracklist

1.	an abcess on vacation	3:37

2.	reconstitution of the archetype	2:06

3.	musst	7:47

4.	aura siphon	10:19

Credits

released October 31, 2012

Format: 3" CDR

Personnel:
Phil Klampe
Bob Newell
Cory Bengtsen
Mike Richards

The second of two 3" cds formed out of material recorded before a live audience at short-lived La Salle, Illinois music venue The Spark in November, 2007. This second and final installment of the Spark mini disc mini series is a bit edgier and more complex than the first. The details of texture and mix architecture are finer, and the arrangements of sound elements and instrumentation are more colorful, due mainly to the fact that the pieces of music here are livelier than the understated ambience of Spark I. The gist of Spark II's 4 tracks is visceral, chaotic, and steeped in restless energy, with potent currents of contemplation stirring throughout. Within just a bit more than 23 minutes Amalgamated deftly grasps and brandishes a variety of moods and aesthetics with full, sweet, meaty flavor (note: two members of the group are vegetarians, despite implementation of this potentially useless/extremely helpful adjective) Simple in its direct emotional impact, yet eloquent in the care of its performance and delivery.

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