Noumena/Bruises begins with “Beastie,” a track that wiggles darkly. Bright harmonics on a cello twist and transform into immense soundscapes, expanding and contracting as if the cello itself were breathing. The track devolves into a murmuring, clicking landscape of pops and plucks, turning the beast of a bass into a tiny, delicate harp. Electronic sounds hiccup in the background, pulling us from the constellations of plucks. Surprises appear at every turn in C. Olivia Valenza’s music.
Noumena/Bruises contains six tracks by the Milwaukee-based musician incorporating sounds from many sources. “I Feel Myself” uses turntables and electronics, constructing noisy, raspy, yet dreamy soundscapes out of found records. Valenza refashions old records into sonic journeys, transporting us from one space to another, using vinyl noise as a curtain to obscure and reveal new worlds.
In “Sea Lanterns Trio,” Nicholas Elert adds guitar and electronics to Valenza on clarinet and Anthony D’Agostino on double bass. This trio offer a thorny, babbling alternative to other tracks on this record. Don’t underestimate these musicians, though. They can create resonant, vibrating drones just as well as angular and gritty noises.
Most of the tracks are long, with five of the six breaking seven minutes in length. The shortest, “Thing In Itself,” is just over three minutes. Here, Valenza shows off respectable clarinet skills in characteristic oscillations between drones and frenetic movement. Clarinet lovers, free improvisation fans and drone aficionados will be pleased with this album.
Noumena/Bruises is available for purchase at FTAM's Bandcamp page.
