Charlemagne Palestine + Rhys Chatham — Youuu + Mee = Weee

This three CD set offers up three lengthy & slowly evolving drone based collaborations between  two highly respected American minimalist & avant-garde composers. Brooklyn  born Charlemagne Palestine has been creating & collaborating with a whole host of respected experimental artists since the early 1970’s, and  guitarist & multi instrumentalist Rhys Chatham is most known for his ‘guitar orchestra’ compositions.

The three tracks offered up here last between just over forty minutes to an hour a piece. Charlemagne Palestine utilizes  a mix of Piano Bosendorfer, Yamaha Organ & Voice. And Rhys Chatham utilizes guitar, trumpet, and loop pedal.

Each track here is a enthralling & rewarding journey into slowly evolving drone matter. Through-out each piece the pair manage to  hold the listeners attention constantly- both with entrancing & slowly evolving drone patterns, and the often surprising shifts in the layers of instrumental/ voice textures.  I won’t go onto detail the various ebbs & shifts with-in each track here, as I think this would very much spoil the unfold & surprise of each pieces progression- but if you’re are a fan of slowly evolving drone matter this really is a must hear item.

All in all this is a excellent collaborative release- with each of the three tracks offering up their own distinctive take on slowly evolving & subtle progressing drone craft. It truly is great to hear these two master of the drone form at work, and this is highly recommended!