You may know of Duane Denison (guitar, keyboards) from his work with Tomahawk and The Jesus Lizard, among others. He's in fine form here. You might know of Alexander Hacke (bass, electronics) from his work with Einsturzende Neubauten, Crime and the City Solution, and his film and production work. He's at the top of his game these days. You probably don't know of Brian Kotzur (drums, keyboards) but you should. He has worked with Silver Jews and Harmony Korine, both quite popular with indie hipsters, slackers, etc. He's got moves, just you wait.
Recorded in the summer of 2012, these 15 instrumental tracks are the result of an intense 2 week period of sonic exploration. Some are carefully composed and arranged, others are freely improvised. The moods range from calm and dreamy to agitated and chaotic.
This supergroup is transcending far beyond their past projects and cultivating a brand new sound. When asked about the project, Denison stated in a 2012 interview with Rolling Stone: “We wanted to work on something that was typically not what we do.” He continued, “something that’s not so rock and riff-based and overdriven in that way.”
The Unsemble, a 15-song collection recorded in Denison’s adopted hometown of Nashville, meets the legendary Jesus Lizard guitar player’s hopes of a more organic feel with the band effortlessly volleying between careful compositions and improvisation. The result is an album that is experimental, clever and inclusive of numerous subgenres and cultures.
TRACK LISTING
1. Krishna
2. Circles
3. Improv 1
4. Act 3
5. Chaingang
6. Neon
7. Improv 2
8. Shadows
9. Improv 3
10. Waves
11. Improv 4
12. Circles Revisited
13. Improv 5
14. Cyclone
15. Voices