5turns25

As posted on May 12, 2009 / www.anewbandaday.com -

Music/Life Synchronicity Moment #24986 took place this morning, and this time it featured an early 90’s ambient classic and, er, a road sign.

It was one of those electronic roadsigns, intended to flash up “Sorry for the inconvenience”, and yet, ironically, was inconveniently performing its best impression of a ZX Spectrum loading screen.

The important thing was that the flickering, when not giving epileptic drivers a few anxious moments, seemed to harmonise beautifully with Little Fluffy Clouds by The Orb, a song, remember, that found meaning in clouds. I suppose it’s not too big a leap to then find equivalent beauty in a spasmodic sign, which I did. It was a curiously relaxing sight.

If I’d been listening to Today’s New Band, 5 Turns 25, similar confusion may have ensued. They make music that is almost beyond ambient - only one step beyond the sound of a band warming up, and one step behind true coherency.

Elephant Platform aches with the rhythm of an iron lung, sucking and blowing ennui-filled sighs. New Hand, Same Brain twinkles with warm sunshine and summery delight, marshmallow-soft; welcoming but obtuse. Effects Of Colours is hearing shards of a song played far away, and caught only when the wind changes.

5 Turns 25’s music is a beautiful, organised jumble of sonic texture, thoughtful clutter and deliberate, precise disjointedness. They’ll yank you, gently, from your daily grind/worries/chores, and you’ll emerge, 20 minutes later, in a fug of serenity. Yum yum yum. Listen here!

* * CD Review: 5turns25 - Unexpected Delights in Electroacoustic Sound Worlds * *
By Robert Eustace - Avant Sacred Artist www.myspace.com/roberteustace

5turns25 is: John Kasiewicz and Dan Tressler, Easton, Connecticut (USA)
Brand new 2009 series of (4) CD’s New Releases: * * (1) “CLOUDS UNFOLDED” (blue cover), * * (2) “HAMSTERS ON TREADMILLS” (brown cover), * * (3) “ORIGIN OF CLAWS” (beige tan cover), * * (4) “ELEPHANT PLATFORM” (burgundy cover), label: (Scattered Disc), all CD’s are available through: ‘CD baby’, All music compositions/ improvisations by: John Kasiewicz and Dan Tressler

Ever since I began listening to music, I have found that my first initial song memories are always centered on this notion of ‘SPACE’, usually spurned on by a unique keyboard sound, a delightfully odd musical juxtaposition, lush orchestral passages…. These songs would convey a sense of light, atmosphere, multi-dimensionality, constant affirmation, breakthroughs, the sensation of floating or soaring through free space, limitless potentiality, infinity. On the other hand: the primordial, darkness, absolute calm, mystery, historical layering, medieval austerity, melancholia, a dead seriousness…. A partial chronological listing of my earliest special music moments would be: “Telestar” by the Tornados, 1962 (the first ’space age’ song, about the famous Telestar satellite…. produced by the legendary Joe Meek), * “Everyone’s Gone to the Moon” by singer/ songwriter Jonathan King, 1965, * “Two Thousand Light Years from Home”, by the Rolling Stones, 1967 (from the LP: ‘Their Satanic Majesties Request”) * “Tuesday Afternoon” (1967) and “Legend of a Mind” (1968), by The Moody Blues * “Astronomy Domine” (1967) and “Cirrus Minor” (1970) by Pink Floyd, “In the Wake of Poseidon, by King Crimson, 1970 (from the self titled LP) * Tangerine Dream * Brian Eno and ad infinitum….

Now add to this list the Ambient/ Electroacoustic/ Experimental Offerings of: 5turns25.
Without knowing anything about them, I was at first glance drawn to their music profile icon - what appeared to be an ancient diagram of a sphere’s rotation in space, superimposed upon a luminous, fiery, liquid burst of intense heat. This image immediately conjured up ideas on medieval alchemy, creation, processes of transformation, apocalyptic destruction and renewal…. I was intrigued and wanted to investigate further. Upon listening a number of times to selected music samples, I found myself starting to write down my impressions. What began as a quick surface glowing comment became the inspiration to concretely set into words my deep appreciation of this decidedly different and worthy music. Thus, my music review presented here.

The following information was provided by John Kasiewicz of: 5turns25

Short Bio: Formed on the 25th anniversary of the ‘LANDSAT 5′ satellite launch [3.1.2009] 5turns25 is a duo from Connecticut (USA), focusing their approach to music making in a live looping, improvised environment, their primary tools include: violins, mandolins, guitars, banjo, clarinet, toy piano, (* modified wood cane), kalimba, melodica, bent circuits, didgeridoo, various percusion, and voices.

To Elaborate: All recorded music was performed live and recorded straight to a stereo mix. So there are no overdubs or edits beyond the looping pedals we used while performing. All four albums are currently available on ‘CD baby’ and soon to be up on all the major music download outlets online.

Note: According to Dan Tressler (and I paraphrase)
The aforementioned ‘music profile icon’ originated from a small clip of a photograph that the LANDSAT 5 satellite took. It was later color corrected and superimposed over by an altered image of the sphere’s rotational diagram…. the two items related and working well together.

Some Music Selections:

(1): “Origin of Claws” (from the CD “ORIGIN OF CLAWS”)
Immediately American southwestern in flavor, layers of acoustic guitars quietly, incidentally strum and pluck along, arriving at a momentary pause…. the guitars resume and enter the main body of this piece. Soon a dry and dusty desert wind blows upon the stillness of the night chill. The eerie sound of the howling of distant wolves conjures up haunted visions of ancient shaman fire ceremonies held within secret rock formations…. of wandering ghosts from long ago native tribes. The effect is mysterious, earthy, organic, primordial….

(2): “Woeful Wives” (from the CD “ELEPHANT PLATFORM”)
Short, extremely intense, monumental in scope. “Woeful Wives” is a lament created out of a mountain of layered classical strings. Out of the initial chaos, each string element slowly spins, twists, bounces off the other, mournfully searing, snarling, soaring, screeching…. complete catharsis and cleansing. Only the ominous, symbolic loud thudding of a simple bass pattern can cut through the din, while grounding this piece solidly to earth. The strings continue to fight and swirl traveling to the breaking point…. finally gathering, coalescing into a single piercing thread as the piece comes to a dramatic close.

(3): “Desert Ants” (also from the CD “ELEPHANT PLATFORM”)
….”the lead instrument on the track ‘Desert Ants’ is a handmade folk instrument consisting of a single string fixed to an old (* wooden cane) which is bowed and amplified with a metal amplification horn that can be used as a percussion instrument when struck with the bow”. (courtesy of John Kasiewicz) The featured ‘wooden cane’ instrument scrapes along loudly front and center, surrounded by a plethora of strummed, plucked, tinkling, spinning, hammering instruments that ‘quirkily’ meander, stumble and trudge along at a snails pace, yet there is a feeling of an always slow moving progress. Right away, one senses a micro-world that is busy, yet operating on a largely unconscious level…. a world that is incredibly organized…. the ANTS working together in unison can accomplish marvelous things, never ceasing as they continue to build their eternal city.

(4): “Ultimate Fate” (from the CD “HAMSTERS ON TREADMILLS”)
This very brief work at once suggests the chanting of a medieval night vigil. There are layer upon layer of voices that begin with a single pronounced voice at the forefront and then recede into various strata of the lesser voices. Together, the choir solemnly chants in simple swaying ‘back and forth’ fashion. The piece takes on added dimension with the introduction of intricately nuanced wild bursts of flutes suggesting Dionysian or Bacchanalian revelries, with plucked and scraped stings, and other fluttering snippets of sound and percussion. The effect is a brief visit to a forgotten arcadian past, with a type of reconstructed music that suggests the rituals of ancient Greece or lost Pompeii.

(5): “Bend Light Backwards” (also from the CD “HAMSTERS ON TREADMILLS”)
Glistening electric guitar with breathtaking atmospheric violin, combine to send the listener soaring high above the world and without a single care. One experiences once again that endless eternal day, that only childhood provides and that adulthood soon forgot. Small bits of percussion accents and incidental sounds meet cryptic muffled chanting voices invoking pure peace on the wind. For myself, the fluttering liquid sounds of the didgeridoo, accompany the fluttering movement of my own wings as I fly toward the sun.

At the time of this writing: 5turns25 are currently in the midst of a Monthly Residency @ THE GEORGETOWN SALOON, Georgetown, Connecticut 06829 with ‘Evenings of Ambient Music’ for April 22 -and- May 27, 2009, beginning each night at 7:00 pm

Contact and to listen to song selections:
5turns25 can be reached at: www.myspace.com/5turns25