Gareth Davis, Jan Kleefstra, Romke Kleefstra

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4...according to our Ant on Fri 09 Sep, 2011.

The brothers Kleefstra perform and record as Piiptsjilling. Both artists have indeed collaborated with Machinefabriek but only got together to play/create after a happy mailorder accident where the brothers received one of Gareth's records by mistake. Life works in unexpected ways sometimes, so it was a twist of fate that they should improvise together and make these sounds. The results are stripped back, minimal melancholy sounds, all well spaced and with an intuition that could have come from players experienced in working together. The bass clarinet and guitar work in unison leaving space for spoken word in Dutch (?) which works remarkably well. The overall sound is very warm with some sweet low end rumbling. Close your eyes and be transported to this wonderful place which for me is somewhat cryptic due to the language barrier. Having said that it equally enhances the feel of this Dutch environment but also frustrates me at times as I feel understanding of the words would really enhance the listening experience. We can't all be like C3-PO though. I can however speak Welsh (hold back on the sheep shagging jokes please). When all is said and done this is a fantastic document which displays how life can somehow, even accidentally join peoples paths together to create a shared vision which can be shared further thanks to Ian Hawgood's direction at the Home Normal label. You just get this lovely warm feeling of artists that love to play, create and collaborate but the overall outcome is something quite unique.

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Gareth Davis and the Kleefstra brothers got to know one another when Jan Kleefstra received an album from Gareth by mail-order by mistake. He liked the album though and told Gareth through MySpace. The contact was made and a plan to meet up and make some music was quickly formed.

Picture a winters day in the low, vast and flat fields of the Netherlands. An old farm between some trees, in the Frisian lake district, big flocks of geese around the barnyard. Inside the farm a warm studio where Davis and the Kleefstra’s first play and directly record in person together. Two February afternoons of improvisation. It already led to the Rural Colours 3” release Sieleslyk. The album Tongerswel now gives six tracks from that sound as they were played on the spur of the moment, just like Davis’ collaboration with Machinefabriek on Drape, and just like the Kleefstra brothers work with their band Piiptsjilling.

In the studio the bass clarinet of Gareth and the guitar of Romke whirled carefully around each other. It resulted in sparse sounds by both instruments; minimal music with an experimental whiff, acoustic, patiently moving, melancholic and dreamy. The quiet moments give space for the modest spoken words by Jan, in the old native language of Frisian. Translations of his words are found in the booklet which comes with the release.

Tongerswel takes you down to the rural coasts of the Frisian lakesides where the album was recorded. To stare into the far distance of the endless plain of this watery world, with nothing but high cloudy skies. A perfect soundtrack for a walk in silence.

All music by Davis | Kleefstra | Kleefstra
Mixed by Gareth Davis
Recorded at Studio Landscape, Gauw, The Netherlands by Jan Switters
Mastered by Ian Hawgood
Design by Jeremy Bible
English translation by Willem Groenewegen

Tracklist:

01 Noarderljocht (Northern Light)
02 Brune Hoanskrobber (Marsh Harrier)
03 It is goed sa (It’s Just Fine)
04 Honger (Hunger)
05 Tongerswel (Common Swift)
06 Molke (Milk)

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