a collection of 50+ essential releases from 2021
Tag: Natural Information Society
Mind Maintenance – Mind Maintenance
Joshua Abrams – Guimbri
Chad Taylor – Mbira
Musical Qualities: Polyrhythmic, Percussive, Repetitive, Sparse, Acoustic, Minimalist
Natural Information Society with Evan Parker – descension (Out of Our Constrictions
Style: Avant-Garde Jazz, Ecstatic Post-Minimalism, Psychedelic Trance Music, Gnawa-Influenced
Vibe: Hypnotic, Meditative, Psychedelic, Ecstatic, Spiritual, Cathartic, Mosaic,
Musical Qualities: Collective Improvisation, Live, Minimalistic, Acoustic, Instrumental, Polyphonic, Polyrhythmic, Repetitive
Instrumentation: Guimbri, Soprano Saxophone, Bass Clarinet, Harmonium, Drums
Joshua Abrams – Natural Information
Style: Psychedelic Trance Music, Avant-Jazz, Creative Music, Post-Minimalism
Influences: Gnawa, Spiritual Jazz, Raga, Kosmische Musik
Vibe: Earthy, Hypnotic, Meditative, Cosmic, Psychedelic, Ritualistic, Spiritual, Tribal
Musical Attributes: Polyrhythmic, Acoustic, Minimalistic, Improvisation, Percussive, Instrumental
Josh Abrams & Natural Information Society
Style: Psychedelic Jazz, Creative Music, Post-Minimalism
Influences: Gnawa, Kosmische Music, Spiritual Jazz, Minimalism
Vibe: Earthy, Hypnotic, Exploratory, Mysterious, Ritualistic, Psychedelic
Musical Attributes: Acoustic, Improvisation, Minimalistic, Percussive, Polyrhythmic
Migraine Daydreams [Mix]
a soothing vinyl mix for sonic healing & mindful relaxation
Deep Rotations: 2019 — 40+ Essential Records + Mixtape
40+ album released in 2019 worthy of some deep listening, plus an accompanying mixtape recorded straight from these records
Joshua Abrams & Natural Information Society – Mandatory Reality
Released in 2019 on Eremite Records Recorded in 2017 Format: LPx2, Screen-printed jacket
Natural Information Society & Bitchin Bajas – Automaginary
On Automaginary, the Gnawa-inspired cosmic jazz of Natural Information Society is augmented by the flowing textures of Chicago new age trio Bitchin Bajas to create an album of enveloping drones and trance-inducing rhythms. (Follow link for full Review)
Joshua Abrams & Natural Information Society – Simultonality
Over the past decade, Josh Abrams has been using his guimbri to create music inspired by the ceremonial music of the Gnawa in North Africa, infusing it with a wide variety of influences from kosmische to minimalism to the avant-garde jazz of his local scene in Chicago. On this album, the focus is on “pure motion” driven by double drummers hypnotically interlocking with guimbri, guitar, keys and harmonium. Each individual plays unique rhythmic figures that push and pull against each other like polyrhythmic tectonic plates, creating constantly changing, yet circular grooves.
Joshua Abrams & Natural Information Society – Magnetoception
Meditative jazz explorations of space, rhythm and textures inspired by Miles Davis’ ambient jazz pieces, Gnawa ceremonial music of North Africa, the spiritual jazz of Pharoah Sanders and Don Cherry, and the mutating minimalism of Steve Reich.
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