Sven Kacirek - The Kenya Sessions (Pingipung, 2011)

Après quelques jours de repos bien mérités (et fort agréables!), je reviens avec cette rencontre réussie. Comme le titre le suggère, The Kenya Sessions est le fruit de sessions enregistrées au Kenya. Field recordings et chants collectés dans divers villages au gré des rencontres, le matériau de base a ensuite été retravaillé par Sven Kacirek en studio. Le risque dans ce type d'exercice, c'est de dénaturer les enregistrements d'origine, d'en faire un digest qui ne le sera pas forcément (digeste). Mais ici l'hybridation fonctionne et le résultat enchante. Par moments, ça peut se rapprocher de certains albums de Kieran Hebden sous l'identité Four Tet ou en duo avec Steve Reid. C'est vraiment excellent!

Sven Kacirek
The Kenya Sessions
CD Pingipung PINGIPUNG20 (Germany, 03-2011)

01. Arsenal Aluny Village
02. Old Man Small Studio
03. Walk to Rangala
04. Dear Anastasia
05. Kayamba Tuc Tuc
06. Turkey Dance
07. Too Good to Be True
08. On the Coast
09. Lamu Sunsail
10. Mariae
11. Paperflowers
12. Headphones and Headdress
13. Vuvuzela in White
14. Trickled Away
15. Takaye Preaching

Note : A beautiful record created by Sven Kacirek, “experimental” drummer and electronic producer; whose mission it seems was to collect field and live recordings in Kenya and then turn the whole lot into this bubbling effervescent stew. As is fitting for Kacirek’s musical background, the record builds up on delicate rhythms, and gentle intonation of subtle, modulated beats. By far the most inspirational moments are the clever juxtapositions of field recordings with the varying percussion; such as heard on Walk to Ranga, or Lamu Sunsail, or Dear Anastasia. And there’s an elasticity and subtleness with this record that allows the listener to experience it as an easily digestible whole. On The Coast and Lamu Sunsail segue beautifully together and almost end up playing at the same time. As such they create a brilliant sonic counterpoint to each other.
Beats and musical nudges are kept sparse and shifting; at times things do get funky such as in Old Man Small Studio, or the closing minutes of Kayamba Tuc Tuc. But there’s also a beautiful dreaminess present: Maria is particularly soulful and Paperflowers is a beautifully hesitant piece which balances soft trembling xylophone runs with some raucous singing & a very discordant lute or recorder of some sort.
The shifting nature of the record is astonishing at times; the last three tracks are almost elegiac in their build up to the beautifully languid melody on Trickled Away. Takaye Preaching is a brilliant ending too, producing the best synthesis of voice and rhythm on the record.

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