When is a work of art finished? We know how it begins: Inspiration strikes, a brush hits the canvas, pen hits paper, or a finger plucks a string. When the paint congeals, the camera stops rolling, or the performance is over, is that the end of the process? What follows is usually a period of reflection, of self-critique, snip here and there, add or subtract. Perhaps then comes more dramatic editing, or even a drastic reworking, the end bearing little resemblance to the beginning.
The final steps of artistic creation can take many forms: Picasso painting over an incongruous lap dog in his 1900 dark canvas of Parisian socialites “Le Moulin de la Galette”; pioneering filmmaker Georges Méliès creating a new visual language of jump cuts, superimpositions, and fantastical optical illusions; or Miles Davis taking the razor blade to magnetic tape to reshape a 1961 live recording into something more polished, more perfect, and just slightly artificial, “In Person Friday and Saturday Nights at the Blackhawk”.
To Miles, one of the most discriminating taste-makers of the 20th century, the creative process didn’t end with the last set, but continued until he was satisfied. Not content to leave the tools of the studio as the purview of The Beach Boys or The Beatles, Miles and his producers continued to refine their command of constructive post-recording, reaching an apex in 1971 with “Jack Johnson”. The juxtapositions, cross fades, delay effects and overdubs were just as integral to the process as the rollocking jam session that began it.
Too often we think only of the beginning of the process. A work is made of continuous waves of inspiration and creation, strata of improvisations made permanent, each layer related to the one below, or not. Forget the “post” in post production - it’s all production.
-Jacob Garchik
credits
released September 29, 2023
Nick Dunston - compositions, production, bass, prepared banjo, sampler, tape, vocals (track B1)
Cansu Tanrıkulu - vocals, effects, electronics
Liz Kosack - synthesizer, vocals (track B1)
Eldar Tsalikov - alto saxophone, Bb clarinet, vocals (track B1)
Mariá Portugal - drums
Petter Eldh - co-production and Akai MPC on tracks A1 and B1
Mixed and mastered by Lee Meadvin on March 15th, 2023 in New York
First session recorded by Sebastian Ohmert on August 8th, 2022 in Berlin
Second session recorded by Marcus Zilz on November 30th, 2022 in Cologne
Sweet noisy avant-garde jazz with a rocky edge and a punk spirit, not to mention plenty of non-standard instrumentation and a good sense of humour. DoomZappo
A fearless cult figure from New England's underground scene, Sawyer's no-fi experiments with everyday objects and body sounds are greatly rewarding to those who have the patience and curiosity to give them a chance. Bandcamp Album of the Day Jan 20, 2017