Clarity Surrender by Post Moves

Sam Wenc (b. 1990; Western Massachusetts) is a composer and interdisciplinary artist often working with sound, text and fabric. As a multi-instrumentalist, he utilizes guitar, pedal steel guitar, vibraphone, electronics, field recordings, and found objects to compose structured and formless work that is curious about the themes and parameters of “folk" music. He has released music on labels such as Noumenal Loom, Obsolete Staircases, Where to Now (UK), Moone Records, and his own label, Lobby Art.

"I recorded Clarity Surrender over the course of a few days in a small house in Olivebridge, NY.  I had gone up there with 3 instrumental guitar songs that I had been meaning to record before they vanished from my memory. I hadn't had anything else planned to record, but I brought up a few other sound making things: a marimacho (16 string guitar), organelle, some random percussion. I tracked the 3 songs pretty quickly and then began mapping out a framework for each song that would create a symmetry across the pieces. Each piece transitions at a certain point beyond the structured guitar work to something more elastic and playful. I enjoyed the juxtaposition that played out in how they ultimately worked together in sequence. Its the first album of guitar songs I've done since No Dignity in Haste (2019) and I think reflects a different approach than the material on that album; much more inspired by the likes of Frantz Casseus, Maria Luisa Anido, Egberto Gismonti. I'm glad to have this material come out now, following three releases that were more focused around the pedal steel guitar. It's important to me that I'm trying to evolve my practice with both instruments, as well as step away from them both and work with different sounds and textures."

Fringe, USA

sweetwreath.com