Is that the sound of a transmission trying to break through static or of static struggling to maintain itself? Are we coming into or out of frequency range? Is “Black” the combination of all colors or the lack thereof? Is there order to be found in chaos, or is entropy even in charge Of Deconstruction? Are we fighting for all or for naught? Is there anything but everything?
If listening to the premiere of Black Spirituals’ new song “Black” leaves you with more questions than answers, that’s good — it’s always important to ask, and especially so right now. We don’t have all the answers, but here are a few things we do know. Black Spirituals is an improvisational collaboration between noise composer/sound artist Zachary James Watkins and social activist/free jazz percussionist Marshall Trammell. The duo has completed several projects and countless live performances over the past few years. Their debut album, Of Deconstruction, was released September 3 on cassette, and as we reported last week, it will be available on LP, CD, and digitally on October 21 via SIGE Records (pre-order here). Written out, the tracklist reads: “Radiant Black Body.”
[Photo: Lenny Gonzalez]
• Black Spirituals: http://blackspirituals.com
• SIGE Records: http://sigerecords.blogspot.com