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Led by conductor and keyboardist from New York, Alan Pierson the artistic director of Alarm Will Sound, in the past has seen this group cover works by Aphex Twin and Steve Reich (as well as conducting Reich’s brilliant Daniel Variations album). On a/rhythmia there’s a diverse range including Michael Gordon, Conlon Nancarrow, Benedict Mason, György Ligeti and Autechre in a musical orgy of “rhythm and pulse”.

Now you wouldn’t expect a track from an album called Randbient Works 2002 by IDM/Noise/Experimental artist Mochipet (aka David Wang) would be a likely stand out track here. But this version of ‘Dessert Search For Techno Baklava’ certainly is if you like Arabic boogie. But then this album ventures all over the globe, from ‘Yo Shakespeare’ that’s very Radio 3 whilst still miles away from French composer of the Renaissance period Josquin Des Prés (‘Agnus Dei II’) and that’s followed by version of a track from WARP’s bass cadets, Autechre!

Now that might sound like a bit a mess but this is anything but a mess; even ending on a bit of boogie woogie piano (one of two tracks by Conlon Nancarrow).

Arguably the core of the album is 5-tracks by from an album called Animals and the Origins of Dance by English composer-filmmaker Benedict Mason. Within the album, I’d say that they get a bit lost so it’s worth time to play them as a ‘virtual’ EP as each track is just over the minute and a half; especially for the comedic elements of ‘Dégringolade Des Pingouins’ and ‘Disgraceful Bossanova With Lemurs’ (not that this is bossa that you could play-out).

Talking of which, OMT? ‘Player Piano Study 3A’? Ha!

This album is so Nonesuch as it’s impossible to pigeon hole them. Their range is as wide as Brad Mehldau to Youssou N’Dour and with a/rhythmia, its certainly music inspired by the past but with a pulse that’s very much today.

Reviewed: Alarm Will Sound - a/rhythmia (Nonesuch) Cat. No: 075597993301 Release date: 15th September 2009
Tracklisting:
1 Jitterbug Mécanique (1:35) (Mason)
2 Yo Shakespeare (11:18) (Gordon)
3 Camouflage Des Agréments (1:35) (Mason)
4 Movimento Preciso E Meccanico (3:53) (Ligeti)
5 Dessert Search For Techno Baklava (2:55) (Mochipet
6 Le Ray Au Soleyl (2:49) (Ciconia)
7 Highland Balls And Village Halls (1:35) (Mason)
8 Player Piano Study 6 (3:45) (Nancarrow)
9 Carmen Arcadiae Mechanicae Perpetuum (9:03) (Birtwistle)
10 Dégringolade Des Pingouins (1:40) (Mason)
11 Agnus Dei II (1:51) (Josquin)
12 Cfern (5:47) (Autechre)
13 Disgraceful Bossanova With Lemurs (1:33) (Mason)
14 Player Piano Study 3A (5:38) (Nancarrow)

Links:
www.nonesuch.com
www.mochipet.com
www.myspace.com/mochipet
www.autechre.ws