Eventless Plot — Parallel Words
The three tracks here each run between twelve and nineteen minutes- and the sound is most certainly very moody, atmospheric, and at points decidedly bleak. I guess compared with some of Another Timbre output, this release is fairly approachable & instant- as the three tracks are very atmospheric focused- though there are still odd/ angular touches in place. The project's core is centered on the trio of Aris Giatas, Vasilis Liolios, Yiannis Tsirikoglou- though all of the pieces here have support musicians added into the mix- and sonically the sound is a blend of string & wind instrumentation, electronics. Percussion & contact mics.
Opening up the album we have 2018’s “Cosmographia”- here we find a blend of psaltery (a medieval musical instrument like a dulcimer but played by plucking the strings with the fingers or a plectrum), three Violas, one violin, a clarinet, and electronics/ Max/ MSP. The track begins and spends much of its runtime been built around hovering on & off string broods, which are topped with a single more urgent sawing string tone playing out a more angular/ yet slightly uneasy series of repeated notes.
As the track progresses the once fairly coordinated elements start to shift- so they are not occurring ay the same time, also the single string melody gets taken on by the more lulling & soothing flow of Clarinet, and this gives the whole thing a more forlorn & felt feeling- though towards the end the more weathered & raw string pick returns once more-giving the whole thing a sort of slurred & awkwardly eastern vibe.
Next, we have the title track- this is the longest track here at nineteen minutes & thirty-seven minutes, and it was composed in 2019. The track sonically brings together piano, electronics & modular synth, with flute, Cello, Viola, and Max/ MSP. And I get quite a doomed sort jazzy noir vibe with this track- it starts off with the piano playing out slowed, smoky, and gloomy piano lines that are slightly touched by deeper string pluck ‘n’ drift.First we get hovering & pressing electronics on top, then as we move on very mellow flute work, before shifting to soured siren tone sweeps. The whole thing nicely plods along in grandly marching grimness- with the more sustained-to-seared moments really bringing emotional depth to the whole thing.
Finally, we have 2019’s "Conversion"- this is built around three lots of percussion, contact mics, bows, and violin. This really is the glummest & grim piece of the lot- it’s built around lulling tolling & sourly twisting tone scrapes, wails, and simmer- with at points a dragged out post-industrial ambient feel present. I enjoy the ghostly sorted of seared crawl of the whole thing, and it works really works well to usher the album out in grand grim manner.
I feel Parallel Words will appeal beyond the normal modern composition/ chamber music audience- due to the simmering & lumbering feel of each of the three tracks. So I’d say if you enjoy either electro-acoustic drone or atmospheric-yet- gloomy mood music- of any form… give this a go do. Nice to Another Timber putting out something a little different.