Resonance - Steel Pan in the 21st Century

Resonance

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 8, 2007)
• Original Release Date: February 5, 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Quiet Design Records
• ASIN: B000NQPWWC
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 1.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #727,645 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Some people seem to think that interesting compilations need a spectacular and intellectually complex motto. As Resonance proves, that is a fallacy. Few samplers have been as inspiring to me this year as this one, despite its decidedly simple and sole conceptual object- The steel pan. This instrument certainly warrants an album of its own, if only for the fact that its possibilities are still only scantly being used. The history of the steel drum and its remarkably quick introduction into the mainstream canon are fascinating stories which take us back to its humble beginnings on the streets of Trinidad and which keep inspiring artists and music fans alike. What has often been overlooked in the general perception, however, is that it is not just an addition to a regular percussion- or drumset. The steel pan has distinct rhythmical facets, but it is a melodic instrument as well and its unique sound enables the open-minded performer to include it in the most diverse styles. On top of this, it is both a solo instrument and part of various band constellations, taking on different roles depending on the context. The latter is an important point to consider when listening to Resonance . For this collection, Michael Vernusky of Quiet Design Records asked eleven artists from Berlin to Tokyo and from Brazil to his hometown of Austin, Texas to take a recording of source material by pannist Darren Dyke and to integrate it into their own cosmos, using it for explorative voyages without borders. As is often the case, the genre-spectrum is considerable, ranging from gentle ambient to breakbeats and pure sound art. And yet, there is a strong sense of coherence running through the CD, as the basic sounds keep reoccurring in the most unexpected places and in everchanging functionalities. While Yoshio Machida leaves the main structures of Dyke s recording seemingly intact, only to send soft shivers of floating undulations through them in his concise dreamscape Valley of Wind , Paul Russel concentrates on their percussive potential in a smouldering club track. Similarly, the out-of-this world resonances and shimmering rainbows of Christopher Ariza and Cory Allen are nice escapisms from the raw experimental soundscapes of, say, Thomas Dempster. And yet, Vernusky's own piece sticks out just a little bit from the rest, simply because he focuses on the sound qualities of the instrument in a five and a half-minute compositions which explores timbral possibilities from endless chambers of reverb to dense clouds of steel-pan drones. If you've never heard of these artists, don t worry, by the way, I hadn't either. But all contributions awaken curiosity about their creator and the instrument at the heart of the concept of Resonance . That is the best any sampler can achieve. Tobias Fischer --Tokafi

Product Description

Since its humble beginnings on the streets of Trinidad, the steel pan has risen to international attention as one of the most unique and versatile percussion instruments in the world. The steel pan, also referred to as a steel drum, possesses a rich, somber, and oftentimes haunting sonority that can be heard in Calypso music, pop songs, concert works and most recently-- modern electronic composition.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Resonance - Steel Pan, January 16, 2008

By	Bay area (Milpitas, CA USA) - See all my reviews

I rarely will be negative - always looking to find the positives in things. But, this is by far the worst excuse for music I have ever heard in my life. Infact, I had to play it on 3 different players because it sounded like my players were broken. My apologies to the artists, but I had expectations of steel pan music and this sure wasn't it. SORRY.