kind words for rub by auris + gino!

A+Gcover300dpi

There is so much activity going on here (and on “A+G.2” and the closer, “A+G.3”) that it’s hard to keep up with the sonic sprint; you’ll find yourself with eyes closed, head down because there is no way to experience Rub with any distractions. But it’s a lovely wall of sound: it’s all hand-made, human interaction with machines and instruments to coax out 10,000 bits and approaches (read: it’s not just flicking the “on” button and letting the inanimate animate). Further, the chemistry of the group is the flawless cooperation of an eight-handed beast, one that acknowledges a macro picture while building and tearing down waves of deft orchestration — often sounding as a gremlin big-band. There are scarce solos moments, and they make for a powerful contrast (i.e. a pause near nine minutes to highlight Miller’s roaring, pitch-bending power chords).

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kind words for rub by auris+gino!

“Gino Robair has also played with Braxton, and is a busy, noisy drummer and percussionist, here guesting with the trio Auris. All four players are credited with electronics in addition to their instruments, although I have no idea what Eric Leonardson’s ‘springboard’ is!

The track titles appear to be cryptic letters, but after listening and reconsidering I reckon they stand for either the group [A] or individuals [C = Christopher Preissing; E = Eric Leonardson; G = Gino Robair, etc.] and who they are playing with. So ‘E + G’ is Eric Leonardson in duet with Gino Robair. There’s a suggestion that Robair has been invited along as a newcomer to ‘alter the landscape’, but to these ears he fits right in.

Electronics give an unworldly edge to all of these tracks: this really is a new world, one made with howls, textures, honks, drones and alien textures, where it is rare to be able to attach an instrument’s name to the sounds being produced. (Drums, at times, being the one exception). The music is hesitant yet aggressive, full of rhythmic pulses and urgent morse-like messages, metallic sustain and high pitched tones. An alien landscape if one wants to pursue the landscape metaphor, a world sculpted with noise and sound, a conversation between the organic and it’s treated digital self. This music is both exciting and challenging.”