Michael Frances Duch clearly believes that less is more. Over the course of the five pieces on 'Edges' - reworkings of experimental and avant-garde compositions from the 60s - he expounds this unequivocally. Duch has performed with a plethora of ensembles and has carved quite a name for himself amongst those in the know in the Norwegian underground scene.
Of course, avant-gardism and esotericism go hand-in-hand, and while the composers of the pieces Duch performs here may not be household names, they are, nevertheless, significant innovators in contemporary musical terms, and Cristian Wolff, the writer of the title track, has broken into 'rock' circles through his work with Sonic Youth.
As such, 'Edges' is a significant release with a degree of crossover appeal. Contemporary classical and avant-garde / experimental 'rock' are by no means mutually exclusive fields, and Duch demonstrates precisely why on this album.
By approaching the way he plays his instrument in a range of ways - not all of which appear to be entirely conventional - Duch creates a remarkable array of sounds and textures, and the overall feel of the album is darkly atmospheric. One thing that Duch is unafraid of - which really stands out in the age of digital uniformity and compressed sound - is silence. Silence may or may not be golden, but it's certainly a bold statement to make in a world full of noise - a point John Cage was famously keen to demonstrate.
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'Edges' isn't all about silence, though, and across the forty-two minute running time, Duch explores a broad dynamic range and remarkable sonic spectrum considering the limited instrumentation. It's fair to say that while 'Edges' isn't likely to have anyone dancing around the room, as a musical exploration and an adventure in sound, Duch delivers something that is quite unique and extremely rewarding for those willing to persevere.
Michael Frances Duch on MySpace
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