KOJI ASANO
Spherical Moss Factory for Violin and Contrabass
Solstice
26


Although Asano is new to me, this is his twenty-sixth album for Solstice. Spherical Moss Factory is quite special. Violin played in a seemingly endless line, all at the top pitches available, slooping and sliding midair yet happily not sounding like a bumblebee. That sound comes from the contrabass. There are no liner notes on this slim cardboard jacket. Is this through-composed? This is up there with the best free improv; I imagine Mark Dresser and Mark Feldman in duo, with Bartók transcribing and grinning as it changes from free-like to slow folk-like, all with the long line in mind. It gets quieter, gestural. Bartók morphs into Morton Feldman.

The second track (composition? part?) uses many of the same elements, but wilder, freer. More grinding, more blatantly emotional, but not crossing over to crossover, even as it wears it heart on its sleeve. Just lovely.


-- Steve Koenig


Track Listing: 1.Spherical Moss Factory I; 2. Spherical Moss Factory IIperso


Personnel: Tomomi Tokunaga, violin; Kentaro Suzuki, bass