RAMBUTAN: Parallel Systems (2xCD)
SEDCD069/TD112 | Released in 2021 | 300 copies | $18
Two CDs (146 minutes) of thirty-three audio collages created with original contributions from sixty-nine artists and nine countries including members of Fugazi, Minutemen, Mission of Burma, Trumans Water, Sebadoh, Olivia Tremor Control, Wolf Eyes, Reynols, and a host of contemporary sound explorers
The alarmingly creative and industrious Eric Hardiman has anchored in Albany, NY a multi-decade hub of individual, collaborative and cross-pollinating experimental music activities and projects, recently manifested in the Sky Furrows LP (2020) and the Spiral Wave Nomads LP (2021), his ongoing cd series with John Olson, solo as Rambutan and complemented the prolific Tape Drift label he curates and runs. The supportive and open nature to create (and release) music with other like-minded and diverse musicians and artists in both live and other settings clearly underpins the awe-inspiring achievement that is Parallel Systems both in its sheer scope but also in the thoughtful and stunningly crafted assembling of the audio contributions into a multitude of complex but spacious sound works. As Hardiman writes:
This project is a collection of collage works that I created during 2020 and early 2021. As a way to keep my mind busy and fend off the creeping dread of the pandemic, I invited a group of friends, acquaintances and musical heroes from across the globe to contribute an original recording. My task was to take the raw sounds and combine them in new and unexpected ways. I imagine each track as its own "parallel system", a mysterious sonic world of its own.
As the tracks began to emerge, I envisioned the various contributors working together in the same room in a true collaboration. Imagining these weird social and sonic juxtapositions helped guide the project. In the end, there were 69 contributors from 9 different countries, spread across 33 tracks. Although many of the sounds have been edited, excerpted, mangled, and otherwise manipulated, my primary goal was to let the musical DNA and personality of each person shine through.
I am deeply grateful to all the contributors and their willingness to trust in the process.
As one such contributor (but also friend and peer with our own Sedimental label) Hardiman shared the final works for thoughts and feedback on the content and running order and it immediately revealed itself as a musical effort of the highest order, transcending experimental genres and eras and clearly something special for the ages, born born out of particularly challenging period of our current age.
With no original intent from Hardiman to release this project beyond Bandcamp digitally, Sedimental felt it imperative that Parallel Systems be made material (which on creative terms alone it deserves, but also) as an index of so many active and creative artists around the planet as well as a marker that is the paradox of this pandemic period with an elegant and triumphant outcome.
Collage works created with original contributions from:
Mike Barrett Jeff Barsky Frank Baugh Sindre Bjerga Andreas Brandal Gayle Brogan Mike Bullock Fraser Burnett Grant Capes Jon Collin Roberto Conlazo Anla Courtis Euan Currie Phil Donnelly Malcy Duff Paul Fagoaga Bob Fay Tim Feeney John Fernandes Rob Forman Glen Galloway Jennifer Gelineau Mike Griffin Paul Haney Ben Harbert Claire Hardiman Eric Hardiman Graham Hardiman Ray Hare Ceylan Hay Holland Hopson A.F. Jones Michael Kiefer Campbell Kneale Thomas Lail Todd Lent Brian Lucas Walker Martin [Sandy Milroy Melanie Ó Dubhsláine John Olson Andrew Paine Arttu Partinen Guy Picciotto Jefferson Pitcher Michael Potter Peter Prescott Chris Robert Ali Robertson Derek Rogers Donna Savoy Jon Schlesinger Karen Schoemer John Schoen Mary Staubitz Howard Stelzer Steubs Rhian Thompson Phil Todd Antti Tolvi Michael Troutman Joe Tunis Scott Verrastro Russ Waterhouse Mike Watt Patrick Weklar Matt Weston Turner Williams Peter Wright
All tracks were conceptualized, constructed and mixed by Eric Hardiman (Rambutan) in Delmar, NY 2020- ‘21. Thank you to everyone who participated and helped.
Albany NY’s Eric Hardiman performs solo as Rambutan as well as in multiple band configurations (Burnt Hills, Century Plants, Spiral Wave Nomads, Sky Furrows). He has also recorded and performed in several collaborative improvisation sessions with John Olson (Wolf Eyes) and Jeff Case (Burnt Hills). Rambutan recordings have been released on LP (Fabrica Records, Tape Drift), cassette and cdr (numerous labels). Eric explores sonic territory that is darkly experimental, psychedelic and hypnotic, using a range of instrumental strategies and approaches. “In his solo work as Rambutan, Hardiman adeptly combines noise with an austere melodicism, bringing together other diverse elements like dub and musique concrete in a syncretic union” (Foxy Digitalis). Byron Coley says, “In this guise, Eric creates thick, lardy waves of guitar/amp psychedelia in a direction not unlike Dead C or Gate” (The Wire).