There’s nothing conventional about Ghost Time. A power trio in theory, this international collaborative ensemble (English pocket trumpeter Andy Knight (he isn’t a small trumpet player, he plays the pocket trumpet), is joined by percussionists z’ev (USA) and Ken Hyder (Scotland)) amalgamate elements of ambient and drone with neofolk and jazz on four tracks, all recorded live. According to the press release, Ken’s vocals use ‘elements of Canntaireached, a vocalisation of bagpipe playing, as well as Khoomei, a Siberian form of overtone singing he learned in Tuva.’
It may sound more weird than wonderful, and I’ll state from the outset that no fan of the bagpipe, meaning I approached this release with a blend of curiosity and trepidation. I left it with a similar sense of disquiet, but on account of darkly atmospheric music it contains.
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‘Scotland the Brave’ it certainly isn’t. Twisting drones uncoil from the depths, as ethereal and inhuman sounds echo and reverberate. Spectral, disembodied voices rise from the depths like Gregorian chants from the cloisters of purgatory. The four lengthy tracks are as desolate and eerie as they are inventive in their use of the instruments they use to create them, making ‘Ghost Time’ an haunting but compelling listening experience.
Ghost Time Online
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