Vigil . Oren Ambarchi & Martin Ng
quecksilber 1
2003. cd . dl
"Vigil" is the second duo album by Australian composers Oren Ambarchi and Martin Ng from Sydney after 2001's "Reconnaissance" on the Staubgold label. It's a dreamlike sonic excursion based upon the fluid architectural modulation of harmonics and resonances. Recalling the landmark experiments of the Sonic Arts Union (Robert Ashley, David Behrman, Alvin Lucier and Gordon Mumma), Ambarchi and Ng create an enigmatic tapestry of pulsing, shimmering and shifting sound which represents a subtle and compelling realignment of Eastern and Western minimalist traditions.
Austrian designer Tina Frank of Mego has added two short films in MPEG format to this release which in its slow and subtle moves match perfectly with the fragile beauty of Ambarchi's and Ng's music.
Oren Ambarchi
Oren Ambarchi is a composer and multi-instrumentalist with longstanding interests in transcending conventional instrumental approaches. His work focuses mainly on the exploration of the guitar, "re-routing the instrument into a zone of alien abstraction where it’s no longer easily identifiable as itself. Instead, it’s a laboratory for extended sonic investigation". (The Wire, UK).
Ambarchi's work on harmonics and resonance has led him to define serene spaces of fluid, shifting sound that is both fragile and extremely physical.
He has performed and recorded with Martin Ng (Australia), Sunn 0)) (USA), Christian Fennesz (Austria), Otomo Yoshihide (Japan), Pimmon (Australia), Keiji Haino (Japan), John Zorn (USA), Rizili (Greece), Voice Crack (Switzerland), Sachiko M (Japan), Keith Rowe (UK), Phill Niblock (USA), Gunter Muller (Switzerland), Evan Parker (UK), Robbie Avenaim (Australia), Toshimaru Nakamura (Japan), Dave Grohl (USA), Damo Suzuki (Japan), Chris Townend (Australia) and many more.
Martin Ng
Martin Ng whose main instrument is the turntable is another outstanding character in Sydney's rich experimental music circuit. He released an album for the Mego label with Farmer's Manual's Hiaz Gmachl, recorded for Grob with Jim Denley and was part of 2002's "Turntable Hell" tour with among others Otomo Yoshihide and Martin Tetrault.