Larum - The Music of Hildegard von Bingen Part Two (Puremagnetic)

Larum are Micah Frank, who has TSMM form through his electronic boundary nudging and consistently interesting record label alongside the celebrated, sax playing Chet Doxas. This is the second chapter in Frank and Doxas' ongoing attempt to join the dots between contemporary music and that of Medieval abbess, theologian, mystic, polymath and 12th century composer Hildegard von Bingen, and highlight how timeless and useful her ideas and techniques still are. I can't pretend to have ever heard of her before this homage, but she sounds like quite the character to say the least, and her visionary work has rightfully echoed through the centuries. To help them realise this tribute they’ve also enlisted some suitably visionary guests: guitar legend Bill Orcutt, deep diving electronic producer Kodomo and South Korean cellist Okkyung Lee.

If you want some easy listening then switch off now, although I've heard noisier and more experimental from all involved, but don’t be afraid either, this is a deep rather than disturbing listen. Orcutt gets the ball rolling in contemplative mood, warming up with some gentle picking, readying to ride the slowly but surely solidifying soundscape. Frank's building drone and electronic waves rapidly and mercilessly consume Doxas' sax, but Orcutt doesn't go easily; his primal blues wrestling with the sonic sands whilst spreading delayed tentacles in all directions to keep it's head above the depths.

Next up it’s Doxas’ turn to shine with overdubbed, sedate yet spiritual sax lines that float over Frank and Lee’s soundscape that quivers and morphs lower in the mix so as not to disturb your journey in Satchidananda, before the meditation is brought to a somewhat abrupt end by some raw drum hits. Next up is Kodomo with an epic pulsing heavyweight ambient electronic transmission, whose first five minutes sound like a soundtrack to the most dramatic scene in your favourite sci-fi movie franchise, before dropping the intensity in the second to elevate, rather than distract from, more universally attuned sax from Doxas.

Last up it’s Lee’s moment in the spotlight; Frank creating a gently provocative soundscape to cocoon the sax and cello lines as they patiently mature layer by abstract layer, until there are some recognisable instrumental sounds of sorts. But just as you think you're party to the freshest new neoclassical kids on the block, Lee and Doxas bow their heads and let their instruments dissolve into an angry hornet's nest of machine noise.

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Playlist Companion

Find Larum and Lee spreading the Hildegard gospel in the Slow Neoclassical Playlist.