Mention the terms “extended guitar works†and immediately names like Rowe, Hendricks, Reich, Ambarchi, Fennesz, Moore, Ranaldo etc. immediately spring to mind. And while this is an incredibly limited list, it quickly gives some weight to the fact that this is a thoroughly explored area of musical production. In his 16th release since 2004, Duane Pitre takes the guitar in a refreshing direction on Origin, utilising a six piece guitar ensemble, and a variation of non standard tunings and string gauges, to created a 40 minute excursion into acoustic and harmonic composition. Although the tracklist displays 5 different songs, this is essentially one long piece with 5 slightly varied themes. Skipping between songs as you would a pop album offers no distinct advantage. If anything it hinders the album, as this is surely a work to be consumed as an all-consuming whole.
Things begin with ‘Mvmt l. Sun AM’, which moves like it’s namesake, steadily rising out of a haze of harmonic intonations, cresting through clouds of vibrating tones. It feels like a slow sunrise over India, with eastern raga sounding buzzes and strings cascading over one another like warm honey. Low strings blow through like gentle breezes, segueing into ‘Mvmt ll. The Carpenter’. Pitre starts turning to his atonal sensibilities here, as bowed guitars call and respond in waves of Just Intonation. As each player answers another in steady harmonious conversation, we gently move into ‘Mvmt lll. Yahweh’, and things really get interesting. Sustained chords of harmonically mismatched tunings slide together, never fully in tune but never jarring to the ear, as a comfortable sense of unusual foreboding carries the middle of the 40 minute composition forward. Sympathetic vibrations slip slowly in and out as ‘Mvmt lV. Koan’ easily rolls off the back of the previous 8 minutes, comfortably dipping into a lovely soft contemplative state. As it glides serenely by, it feels as though nothing can touch you, fully immersing as it is. A sudden chorus of tones lift out of this trance like state as final stanza ‘Mvmt V. Sun Pm’ rises, jumping into the sky to follow the sun on it’s descent to the horizon. An immense wave of warm, majestic harmonics completely engulf you as the final minutes steadily blink out like a fading star.
Pitre has truly excelled here, taking multi-unison tunings, odd harmonics and sympathetic acoustic phenomena and allowing it to sprawl out and create something completely unique and totally his own. Perfect for immersing yourself in, or to simply have on in the background as you go about a lazy afternoon. Allow yourself to get lost in this incredibly remarkable work.
Nick Giles
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