The collaboration between Mark Kluzek of The Doomed Bird Of Providence and Katie English AKA Isnaj Dui has already provided us with the BEL EP and remixes of those tracks.
This latest confection, all proceeds for which go toward Worldwide Cancer Research, possibly defines the term short but sweet. Actually, maybe sweet isn’t quite the right word, because the amount of emotion and atmosphere that is generated in a little over seven minutes on Page Of Pentacles is quite simply extraordinary. This tiny set of songs also includes Blk w/Bear‘s JS Adams who takes care of the opening and closing sequences; surges of orchestral drones that feel akin to disparate tune-ups, swells of scattered emotion accomplishing much in a scant time-span.
From there, Katie’s melancholic cello and flute combination circle around us, simultaneously groaning and shimmering, twisting and twisting against themselves, pushing together then pulling apart, seemingly at odds. It ends far too soon with nothing resolved, but continues with ZhivagoDXM‘s shadowy bassoon gently accompanying the more pastoral flute. It is an alt-folk shading, sections of dappled forest coming into view, then slipping away. The central piece, “Page Of Pentacles”, is a wildly extravagant cello work out from Marla Tober. It is dramatic and vibrant, seemingly expecting the arrival of something which never quite reveals itself. The flute spirals gently but is constantly buffeted, digging deeper, the sense of dramatic churning providing tension that is only slightly subdued by the arrival of Mat P‘s sax. At once throaty and pealing, it accompanies an incessant three-note flute vision that hypnotises in the short time it shares with us. JS sees the recording out and we are at once bereft.There is nothing more to do but press play and see what you missed the first time and the second and the third because you will definitely have missed something such is its fascination. Page Of Pentacles is dedicated to Jukebox Heart‘s Paul Collegio and the physical product is a lovely thing; all hand-printed and numbered by Katie; so really there is no excuse for not heading to Bandcamp and snapping it up. Page Of Pentacles is on digital release as well and hopefully if enough of us clamour, they may tackle something a little longer.
-Mr Olivetti-
