Hi Friends,
I hope this email finds you well. I'm writing you to let you know about the debut release from Gnostikos, a new(ish) chamber-improvising quartet that I'm grateful to be a member of. We recorded these pieces early in lockdown -- we met over Zoom, and recorded ourselves in our home setups. The results are pretty extreme -- lots of dissonance, lots of silence, and a starkness that to me evokes the uncertainty we were all feeling in early Spring.
Each of the 4 pieces in the collection were composed by Zara Teicher (the 5th piece is actually the 4 previous pieces playing at the same time.) Zara also did the album artwork above, and she also did the artwork for my recent Dualisms project. These scores are all text scores, providing an open framework for us to improvise with. Zara is one of those rare composers who has the ability to create an environment with a strong character without saying too much. Her music has a presence. I'm sure you'll hear it.
Gnostikos is:
Michael Malis - keyboards, synthesizers, electronics, percussion
Zara Teicher - french horn, harmonium, melodica, ukulele, percussion, toys
Kaleigh Wilder - baritone saxophone, percussion
Thom Monks - vibraphone, drum set, brake drums, other percussion
This album was mixed and mastered by Josef Deas.
I hope you enjoy the music, and I hope you are well! As always, thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
-Michael