Ben Gunning
No Magic Hand - [HTRA039]
Ben Gunning is one of those musicians whose restless creativity is the source of their forward momentum.
The forthcoming No Magic Hand skillfully intertwines several threads that can be heard on in his more recent work. On one hand it's full of the buoyant electronic rhythms that characterized Nature, but on the other, it also picks up on the detailed and organic sound design found on Muldrew (2019, Séance Centre), the noted LP on which he partnered with acclaimed saxophonist and composer Joseph Shabason.
The gleefully polymorphous production found on No Magic Hand variously employs understated guitar, propulsive beats,
fluorescent synths articulating sophisticated harmony, beneath and beside Gunning's agile falsetto singing yet still manages consummate cohesion. Perhaps most intriguing of all is how Gunning has applied Muldrew's laidback impressionistic sensibility to his songwriting—which had previously favoured taut and tidy structures. These new pieces are suffused with a newfound inquisitiveness and introspective playfulness that audibly impacts all domains: from the formal, to the textural, the sonic to the textual. Yet any abstraction is mediated by Gunning's gift for crafting bold, evocative melodies.
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released July 21, 2023
No Magic Hand (HTRA039) is out July 21st on Halocline Trance (Cassette, WAV). The release features photography by May Truong and design by Haley Parker. Recorded and mixed by Ben Gunning. Mastered by Joe Lambert. Distributed by SRD and available to purchase via fine music retailers worldwide. All music and lyrics by Ben Gunning.
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