Description:	CD on 2062
	Format:	CD
	Genre(s):	Minimal Composition
	Label:	2062
	Price:	£12.59
	Availability:	Dispatched within 2-5 days (on average).

5
...according to our Phil on 07 January 2010.

I was amazed when I saw what William Basinski looked like. Him being adopted by the more highbrow mob I expected him to be well dapper in some fancy suits or even some comfy jumpers... I didn't expect him to look as LA Metal as he does. I like it though.... It's good when folks confound expectations.... and with a new Basinski CD comes great expectations these days as his work gets more revered as his catalogue increases. As ever it's one long 45 minute piece of work constructed from tape loops. The story behind this one is ole Will wanted to get some music to help his friend give birth as things weren't happening. He made this gorgeous piece of music and lo and behold the next day a wee Vivian was born. Also his cousin had a kid called Ondine and thus you get Vivian and Ondine... just like magic. You get into a sort of trance listening to this as the waves literally flow over you sending you off to another nicer place than where you already are (hopefully!). It's quite a hauntological sounding loop reminding me a wee bit of some of the Caretakers warmer moments. Within a couple of minutes of the album starting you're sucked into this cyclical beautiful sounding loop and you feel utterly immersed. It doesn't really do much else either but wierdly I'm happy for it to stay where it is as it's a lovely place! You won't find a better way to spend 45 minutes this week.....Very lovely indeed and heartily recommended

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Sound clips for Vivian & Ondine by William Basinski: on CD at Norman Records UK. CD, 2062, 2062.0902, £12.59.

What their label says...

“In may of 2008 I was in my studio in NY preparing for a concert at Issue Project Room. I realized I had been touring for a year and was still touring the same piece I had performed there the year before.  I was interrupted by a call from my youngest brother, Patrick.  As we chatted, he told me that his wife, andrea was overdue with their daughter, Vivian.   I replied in sympathy that “Vivian” was a movie-star name and that I imagined with a name like that, she would have people waiting on her for her entire life. I got back to work and found yet another lunchbox of ancient tape-loops to go through for possible inclusion in the new piece. I came across the main theme and thought…well, this is gorgeous; let’s see if we can use this to coax Viv to come out.  I went through the rest of them and found another dozen or so that mixed well used randomly, just under the threshold. The next night I performed the piece at Issue with their 16 channel hemispherical speaker system set to move the sounds randomly around the room as if waves in a pool.  We all had a really good time.  It was mesmerizing. The next day I got word that Vivian had been born and…my cousin, Terence’s first granddaughter, Ondine had been born as well. I couldn’t think of a more beautiful title for this piece than to name it after these two beautiful girls.This version was recorded with microphones and two Norelco tape decks live in my studio in Los Angeles in one take in September 2008. A version of this piece was commissioned by Lauren Bon and the Metabolic Studio of Los Angeles for her extraordinary project, Strawberry Flag, at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Los Angeles. It has been an honor to be a part of this wonderful project.  Vivian & Ondine:  – William Basinski

info and mp3 excerpt:  http://www.myspace.com/williambasinski
Strawberry Flag info:  http://www.strawberryflag.org