3D - Not3 (2-CD)

3D
Not3

Label: NotTwo (2008)
Catalogue No: MW-795-2
Format: CD

Tracks:

Album 1
1. Difference (Dell) [06:08]
2. Phasing Music (De Martin) [06:48]
3. Trio (Dahlgren) [06:27]
4. Terminal A (Dell) [07:40]
5. Das Licht (Dahlgren) [09:22]

Album 2
1. The Streets Of Berlin (Dahlgren) [17:46]
2. Imitation (Dell / Dahlgren / De Martin) [06:27]
3. Not 3 (Dell) [08:00]
4. Reanimation (De Martin) [06:01]

Performed by:
Christopher Dell - vibes, guitar, electric bass, voice
Chris Dahlgren - Electric bass, double bass, voice
Maurice De Martin - drums, percussion, voice

About:
After their acclaimed debut album "..actually, it's better like this...", this a long expected second album "3D: Not3". The new album comes in a very special art-edition 2 CD-box designed by Konstantin Kern. For anyone who needs drawers: call it anything, in between the chairs of improvisation, minimal-music and sound-art.

Review:
I knew of bassist Chris Dahlgren from when he lived in town and played with local musicians like Peter Epstein, Marc Whitecage, Briggan Krauss and Anthony Braxton (duo CD on Clean Feed). Since moving to Berlin, I've been less aware of his activities aside from his work with Gebhard Ullmann. Hence, when we got in this double disc from Not Two with two German musicians that I am not familiar with, I had no idea what to expect. What is most interesting is how wonderful and weird this little box-set turned out to be... Like Mr. Dahlgren's former collaborator, Anthony Braxton, each piece is identified by a diagram in the inner booklet. The music is an odd blend of assorted pieces, each with a different sound or strategy. Even with the basic trio of vibes, bass and drums, you never know what direction each piece will develop into. The first piece is a minimalist duo exchange for skeletal vibes and percussion with unexpected moments of fuzz bass weirdness in the last section. The second piece consists of a stripped down el. bass and drums martial beat with layers of sinister, soft spoken word vocal weirdness. Rather Residents-like. It sounds as if someone is playing toy percussion on the third piece, along with Chris' fractured bass sounds. The fourth track features layers of a woman's voice sampled and speaking German, when it starts. The vocal samples are used like spice along with minimal percussion, twisted guitar fragments and snippets of noise. The overall effect is fascinating yet truly strange. I often get the feeling that there is a play or a story hidden in here somewhere, as if we are missing one layer or ingredient in the overall structure. The first piece on disc 2 features some eerie rumbles, distant vibes and occasional percussion. With some patience the mystery slowly unfolds, bit by bit. In a way this music is environmental or even Morton Feldman-like. One must fill in their own idea as to what is exactly taking place, filling in the space.
BLG (Downtown Music Gallery)