Originally hailing from Brisbane in Australia, John
Chantler recently spent two years teaching English on
the island of Shikoky in Southern Japan. During this
time, he recorded his first album, Monoke,
and set up his own record label, Inventing Zero Records.
Now living in London, Chantler presents his second album,
a limited CDR release published as part of Piehead Records’
series of eleven releases this year. The album was recorded
partly in London and partly at friends in Brixton, St
Albans, Brisbane and Tokyo.
What characterise Chantler’s work is the close
connection there is between acoustic and electronic
instrumentation. On Monoke,
Chantler was using electronic devices to treat piano,
guitar, xylophone and local Japanese instruments and
arranging his sounds into complex structures. Locked
In Hands is based around the same principles, yet
the album sees Chantler moving towards more experimental
compositions. The opening track, entitled Piano
Music, is far more intricate and challenging than
its title suggests. Partly using sounds sourced from
a piano left outside until the weather conditions had
worn out its components, this composition is based around
drones that slowly develop over its epic fourteen-and-a-half-minutes.
Although it appears at time almost static, there is
an impressive progression here as Chantler injects more
elements along the way, including subtle found sounds
(urban noises) and strummed guitars. That is pretty
much the angle with which Chantler works his compositions
here. Varying from minimal constructions (Locked
In Hands, My Chinese Toy) to more elaborate
structures (Opposite Ends Of Same, These
Nine Years Will Last Five Minutes Or More), he
develops his themes with great care, allowing for each
sound to constantly alter its environment and evolve
independently of the others. This gives these seven
compositions an intense organic feel and an element
of fragility that highlights the human aspect of Chantler’s
work. Refusing to settle for a specific mood, he introduces
oriental percussions and tribal drumming on These
Nine Years…, breaking with the beat less
structures of other tracks, while found sounds and live
drums create a surprisingly pastoral ambience on Organ
Music.
Locked In Hands is everything but an easy record.
More introvert than its predecessor, this album is also
a chronicle of the changes in Chantler’s life
over the last couple of years, from his quiet rural
Japanese retreat to the hustle and bustle of London.
Yet, despite its experimental nature, this album remains
beautiful and peaceful, and denotes a very interesting
approach to experimental music.
4.4/5 |
