Martin Brandlmayr, Werner Dafeldecker, C — Till the Old World's Blown Up and a New One is Cre

Originally released in 2008, this re-release of the fascinating collaboration between these three artists is very much overdue.

Throughout the album, sounds familiar to those who know the artists involved come and go, not at random, but weaving a luxurious tapestry of emotive, instrumental music.  Brush kit tinkers, taps and rolls in the background, never reaching a proper rhythm, but still forming the backbone of the music.  Leading things is the acoustic guitar, its understated approach almost skeletal at times, but never lacking warmth or heart.  The melodics seem to fall in that bittersweet mid-ground between major and minor keys.  These sounds are augmented by blasts of heavily reverbed sounds and other instruments, such as piano strings and vibraphone, which act to tie the whole thing together: what would be stark, empty music becomes rich and engulfing.

The most important element to the record, however, is silence.  Lengthy passages of quiet pass between the various movements of the piece.  These spaces really bring to life the musical sections, giving the feeling of time passing and distance travelled.

Till the Old World's Blown Up and a New One is Created is a wonderful collaborative work, each artist bringing his own sound to the piece without ever seeming out of place.  The record sits in a strange mid-point between jazz, experimental and ambient, and its unique blend make it fascinating listening.  Great to have it back in print again.