mogami
Jeff Arnal - amplified percussion
Ryan Smith - computer

Recorded at Art Omi International Art Center,
West Ghent, NY - August 2003  
Public Eyesore Number 80 • www.publiceyesore.com

Download an mp3 from the new mogami CD 816 Bees

Reviews:
(Touching Extremes 11/14) I love when an unexpected good CD comes in my hands; Public Eyesore often provides several of these finds. Jeff Arnal and Ryan Smith work with amplified percussion and computer to produce interesting and intelligent electroacoustic turbulences that are neither pretentiously snotty nor ear-disturbing - quite the opposite. Mogami show a certain degree of love for sound inquisition, developing a conspiracy of new timbres against the murky hollowness of academia; theirs is a world of acute integrity where sardonic looks and perilous discoveries are often more than casual appearances. In tracks like "Spiral scan", Jeff and Ryan launch their attack to "regular" computer music, obtaining fresh stimuli and good-natured resonances; their most hypnotic work is perfectly opposed to cascades of metallic sparkling and rumbling from unknown holes, like in the grand finale "Minor rotation". - Masimo Ricci

(One Final Note) Mogami utilizes Ryan Smith’s computer to generate all sound not created by Jeff Arnal’s amplified percussion. The opening track, “Radio Telescope”, starts out thundering with computer-generated noise. A distant sound—some sort of metal percussion instrument—then begins to rumble in the background. A few minutes in, the buzz of computer blips spastically breathes in and out of the track until Arnal’s distorted percussion starts to take over. “816 Bees”, another one of the best cuts on the record, could easily be the 21st century remake of a Hitchcock soundtrack. Despite my usually discerning ear, I had trouble hearing what was Arnal’s percussion work and what was Smith’s computer work. I think that that is great for the album; too many times electronic music mixed with other styles sticks out. But on Mogami, Arnal and Smith blend seamlessly together. The cover art to Mogami is just about as stunning as the music. The artwork was done by Mark Bouthilette, a New York artist and friend of Arnal’s. It features the skeletal outline of some prehistoric looking bug and is part of a series that Bouthilette has done in that style. - Ryan McDermott

For order or booking information please email: jeff [at] generaterecords [dot] net