Ronan Courty – Synesthesia

Ormo

Contrebassist Ronan Courty has been recording collaboratively for the best part of twenty years, but for this latest release he has gone solo and taken a violent approach to the instrument as a starting point to release hitherto undiscovered tones and vibrations from it. With two pieces coming in at over half an hour, Synesthesia is a labour of love and one that puts the double bass thoroughly through its paces.

There is an intensity to the attack, and the prehistoric groans and shudders echo the surge of tides and the movement of enormous weights. It is a slow and sedate, and rumbles like the internal motion of the Earth. He strikes down hard and releases slowly, thus emitting a shower of unexpected vibrations. It has a similar effect to Dylan Carlson‘s early Earth recordings with its initially doomy tempo and single-mindedness; but as the bowing attack accelerates with an obsessiveness that feels as tough he is trying to grind his own hands off, it changes dramatically.

The incessant repetition sees lighter notes escaping from the maelstrom, the metronomic insistence given a glimmer of light as the bass tone gradually evolves. Out of this frenzy there is sweet spot that begins to create subtle harmonics that sparkle over the furious rush, with some notes suddenly producing a cluster of alternate tones that drift above the obsessive tempo, a fascinating backdrop that is ever ebbing and flowing.

The first piece, “Synesthesia”, was recorded live in one take; while the second, “Ideasthesia”, pushes the premise further utilising synths, glasses and tuning forks to generate further textures. These metallic resonances drift in the background and it feels like something Étant Donnés might come up with; a soundtrack to somebody pushing themselves to the absolute limit with these extra sounds reducing the pressure just a little bit.

The extraordinary thing is that Synesthesia doesn’t grow old, and there is enough diversity in the harmonics and a feedback-like drone that keeps the listener engaged. I must say, you feel pretty bereft when it drops away and enough time has passed to just press play and allow it to insinuate once again.

-Mr Olivetti-