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Mr. Fist
Live In Limbo

Album CA 2011 on Blood 'N' Tongue label
Electronic and Blues (Neofolk, Modern Electric Blues, Experimental)

There is a place which is no place. It is a void where only the inner spirits roam. Here, they have come together in their small number to tell you of their world. They have chosen their instruments and these are the songs they sing when they are alone. Enter then into this place of no place and open your ears. They are a simple, primitive and base people. They have little sophistication and offer only rudimentary communication skills, yet the sum of their parts brings forth a whole which is unique in its perspective and worthy of lending an ear. Recorded at Blood 'n' Tongue, Vancouver, BC, June 24 to July 4, 2011. "And where there is clarity there is no choice. And where there is choice, there is misery." - Swami (Head, 1968) Modern creative tools provide an amazing array of possibilities. In some ways they offer so much that it becomes a distraction when trying to decide what element(s) to use. The selection and possibilities seem quite endless. For this reason, it has been found that the imposition of artificial restrictions can be most effective in providing focus and direction to a work. These restrictions also help to trigger the creative thought processes as one is forced to find ways to maximize the potential of the resources available. This particular collection offers a perfect case in point. Based on the instrument sounds defined in its predecessor work (Solo - bloodntongue.bandcamp.com/album/solo, another example of this methodology), this project sets about to create an imaginary "band" playing in an imaginary space. Actually, the use of the term "space" is somewhat misleading in that the space imagined is not a place at all, but a lack of space in that the intent was to be performing in a cavernous void in complete isolation. In terms of instrumentation, the foundation instruments are a small set of digitally samples "virtual" instruments chosen for their detail and fidelity to their real world counterparts. These were then supplemented with a variety of real world acoustic instruments and all were tied together by the use of a limited range of post production effects also chosen for their natural acoustic properties. The intent was that they should all work together to create a sense of (anti)space where there is a sense of continuity to the sounds and their characteristics. From a performance perspective, the limitation imposed was that each piece should give the effect of being performed live by a five piece combo: drums, bass, vocalist & two "multi-instrumentalists" (doing keyboard & guitar primarily, but also handling other acoustic instruments). The vocalist was also allowed to play an instrument when not singing (such as harmonica or nose whistle, etc). Each individual performance was done in one take with no corrections or digital modifications other than the standard post production effects (EQ, compression, reverb). The intended result is a form of musical primitivism which is a deliberate response to the overly sanitized and "perfected" sound of modern popular music. This music is raw, improvised, unpredictable and completely IMPERFECT! Wandering meters, missed notes, dropped beats, drifting tunings - these are the essence of this aesthetic. Yet this has been balanced by maintaining a high level of production values in terms of the recording quality and mix. While the performances sound raw, the sound quality is state of the art, clear and "high fidelity". These are the "Yin & Yang" that make this collection what it is. VIRTUAL INSTRUMENTS Jazz Drums Grande Piano Hammond B3 Organ Upright Bass REAL INSTRUMENTS Balloon Cow Bell Flute - Nose Flute - Pan Flute - Wood Guitar - Acoustic Guitar - Toy Harp - Auto Harp - Jaw Harmonica Party Favours (Clacker, "Whoopee" Whistle) Tambourine Trumpet Violin Voice

Musicians

	Mr. Fist , US album by
	Stephen Ugo Rosin , producer, composed by, performer, design, text by

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