Upon first encountering the 8-piece ensemble Roomful of Teeth, I became fascinated by the power and the reach of their pooled vocal prowess. The might of their debut full length seemed to stand in contrast to everything else that was having an impact; this was music designed and shaped by vocal technique as a depiction of cultural, spiritual and communal variation sewn together in oral harmony.
An indication of the outfit’s collective direction, “The Ascendant: The Beginning And” boasts throat singing, soft whispers, a sweeping chorus and delicate melodic contributions, which are all bound to form a deeply stirring resurgence. The track is reminiscent of where the group left off on their debut, a record that was positively overwhelming in its diversity. Roomful of Teeth were able to create a sound so bold and provocative that it resonated profoundly enough to have huge expectations for their forthcoming album Render, which is due out on April 28th.
The collective have become renowned for working with truly inspiring composers and musicians. They have worked extensively with Merrill Garbus of tUnE-yArDs and they even performed with Holly Herndon at Le Poisson Rouge a year or so back. This particular track finds them teaming up with New York based composer Wally Gunn and it takes into account the breadth of his preferences while summoning the essential diversity of each singer’s range.
Needless to say it’s a real privilege to premier this piece as an indicator of everything Roomful of Teeth are about to divulge. Sink into “The Ascendant” and let it guide you across the most optimistic voyage that the human voice could possibly offer.
• Roomful of Teeth: http://www.roomfulofteeth.org
• New Amsterdam: http://newamrecords.com