Alta Strata by Blast

The Press About "ALTRA STRATA " :

- Review (& ratings) at rateyourmusic.com : rateyourmusic.com/release/album/blast_f1/altrastrata/

- Review in allmusic.com : www.allmusic.com/album/altrastrata-mw0000314494

- Review in Prog Archives : www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=17304

-" Blast sonic character is pluralistic and multifaceted not only in orchestration, but in mode of execution, with often a finely composed layer enmeshed within a semi-noisy or improvisational layer.They are clearly masters of the form. I won't bother trying to name drop -- Blast is a cosmic a singularity, they sound like nobody else ! And "Altrastrata" is the zenith for those interested in the most experimental side of music." (M.Ezzo, Exposé #28 ,Feb. 2003)

-" A hard fast hitting 4 tet playing intricate compositions that leave room for improvisation, wether as backed-up soloists or as all-out improv. Is it the occasional use of gritty electronics textural backdrops or simply that the guys are trying less hard and doing it even better? Year-end Top Ten material, you betcha." (F.Couture, All music guide, March 2003)

-" It's a musical roller coaster ride for sure, as the musicians stretch their imaginations via a ful throttle approach to the program. On this effort, you'll hear dazzling, odd-metered shifts in tempo and carefully developed themes. But the overall unpredictability of this affair provides much of the excitement! Add a few ethereal movements into the grand scheme of things, and by the end of the total listening experience, you might be shaking your head in astonishment. Strongly recommended..." (G.Astarita, JazzReview, April 2003)

-" One minute Blast sound like a rather cerebral electroacoustic new music group, exploring a mysterious paralell reality, and then they nail a groove and lurch around in Captain Beefheart's backyard for a spell, evoking a whole other kind of parallel reality. The combination of discipline and spontaneity, as well as elegance and cacophony, works very well for the group this time around, and also gives them lots of scope for future explorations." (B.Tilland, BBC homepage / Music reviews, 2004)

-" The mixing is excellent; it creates very different - and extremely well-detailed - sonic planes, builds contrasts and alters the instrumental proportions, wich sometimes sound "wrong" ; this is obviously not a "photographic" use of the studio; in this respect, this album is quite far from jazz, and much more similar to an "evolved rock" album or to some modern classical.Obviously, this is not an album to be filed under "easy", but it wil surely repay the attention that -without a doubt- it requires." (B.Colli, Clouds and clocks, June 2003)

-" Chaque écoute révele des moments qui ont échappé a l'audition précedente, ce qui permet une découverte incessante et des éclairages nouveaux sur une des musiques les plus eventureuses du moment !" (P.Renaud, Improjazz #100, Dec.2003)

-" Ooit omschreven als rockgroep avant-la-lettre, jazzgezelschap, improvisieclub, gecomponeerd hofje weet Blast zich aan elke omschrijving te onttrekken. Zijn muziek is gevangen in kale klanklandschappen, in architectonisch opgezette torens van geluid, in ingenieus vervlochten matten van elektronische en akoestische klanken. Wie de schijn van ontoegankelijkheid weet te doorbreken, krijgt een nieuwe kijk op muzikale mogelijkheden." (R.van der Heijden, Brabants dagblad, Mai 2003)

Blast, formed in 1989 by Dutch guitarist Frank Crijns and saxophonist Dirk Bruinsma, with a line-up that included up to ten elements, released Purist Sirup (Vonk, 1992), that took as inspiration the orchestral Frank Zappa of Burnt Weeny Sandwich (1970) or the later Orchestral Favourites (1979).