Shores by levinson / mahlmeister

Comprised of synthesists Jamie Levinson & Donny Mahlmeister, the Chicago duo uses modular synthesizers in combination with tactile instruments (Levinson is a drummer/percussionist & Mahlmeister a guitarist) to create cinematic snapshots of sonance. While the duo absolutely gives glances toward artists like Eno, Lanois, Reich, Riley & the kosmische places and spaces of Deuter, they are absolutely of the NOW, in step with ambient explorers like Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, Panabrite, or locals Bitchin' Bajas, TALsounds or Brett Naucke. Side one's "Ascend" eases into your ears, starting at a place of calming that slides & swoops over the course of its near 25-minutes, arcing into an apex of rhythmic motion. "Release" opens with the natural ambience of rainfall and birds over the top of synthetic drops & drones that unfold & open like the petals of a flower in the morning dew. Despite only having collaborated for a couple of years, the duo already display a mastery of their art. They perform their compositions & improvisations live, reacting to each other in conversation (not only with each other's physical playing, but their respective synth patches), creating a dazzling harmony with the natural & synthetic as well as the tactile & the intangible.

This is the first entry into an ongoing chapter of Trouble In Mind; our "Explorers Series" of cassettes & digital albums. The idea here is not necessarily to distract or differentiate these artists from other TiM releases or artists, but merely to shine a second light.

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