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| 20th September 2006: Live review and interview. A review of the recent concert in Thun in Switzerland along with interviews with Dave and Troy can be found at www.proggies.ch. Part 2 of Dave's interview will be appearing on their site shortly. | |||
 Live
dvd & Eye of the Eagle reviews at
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www.babyblaue-seiten.de ... www.idioglossia.de ... www.manticornio.com |
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www.open-ears.com ... virtuosity web site ... www.ragazzi-music.de (German review) ... www.elrose.demon.co.uk
Musicinelgium.net ... When Troy Donockley and Dave Bainbridge , who both originate from the north of England and are members of the group IONA and friends of long standing, were offered the chance to play and record in the Lincoln Cathedral, they accepted without a moments hesitation. Prior to the recording, they decided which instruments and sounds they would use that would work best in the Cathedral's vast open space. For this occasion, they improvised together splendidly an opus in six parts. From the outset, they started with a blank sheet, but there was a constraint, only one: the binaural recording stereo. The recording took place on October 27, 2004. The person in charge, Dallas Simpson, wearing special binaural headset microphones had to choreograph his movements throughout the recording to try to obtain constantly optimal conditions. From the seventy minutes of recording, about fourteen minutes were unusable following a technical hitch. However, there remains a splendid album in six distinct parts, which sounds particularly impressive when listened to on headphones. This is what gives the best results for binaural stereo. "From Silence: Part One " is a long ambient incantation and space marked by a majestic slowness, the perfect introduction to a musical work of very great class. The beauty of the music, within such a magical place, is the only criterion which gives to this exercise style its letters of nobility. This environmental piece generates imaginary landscapes and dreamlike meditations. Troy Donockley plays on the low whistle, a type of flute-like instrument which has some of the breathiness of panpipes, while Dave Bainbridge accompanies on the keyboards and plays electric guitar. On "From Silence: Part Two ", Troy Donockley plays the metal flute (tin whistle; the low whistle is a lower pitched adaptation of the tin whistle and requires more significant breath), while Dave Bainbridge keeps to the same instruments. "From Silence: Part Three " is a very long mystical and maniérée part which raises the heart towards the ether. This piece comprises part of the traditional song "Anach Chuan" and sees Troy Donockley playing on the Irish bagpipes (Uilleann Pipes) and singing while Dave Bainbridge again creates atmospheres on the keyboards and also plays electric guitar. The bagpipe is a very difficult instrument to play and requires long years of training and of practice but the two men are talented musicians able to take musical risks. Played like they are here, the pipes moves away from the traditional use that one hears in some Scottish or Irish folk music and they marry very well with the keyboards and the electric guitar, played in a very original way. On "From Silence: Part Four ", Troy Donockley plays the low whistle and Dave Bainbridge plays the bouzouki (a Greek instrument with long neck and convex body) and the keyboards. Here also, the way the bouzouki and keyboards blend, and the way the low whistle is gradually introduced, results in a very original sound of much beauty. The musical bottom end given by the keyboards grows rich and majestic whilst the bouzouki continues playing (the sound locked in delay loops), over which sometimes can be heard the whistle's seagull like chirps. Two thirds of the way through the piece, the keyboards rise in intensity and take a more significant share as a whole, imitated then by the flute. With the end, all takes again its initial place. It is the tin whistle of Troy Donockley which begins "From Silence: Part Five ", with the background keyboards of Dave Bainbridge , whose bouzouki takes the changing to dialogue with the metal flute, which creates a certain tension by its powerful and dissipated play, moderated by the keyboards which constitute a continuous backdrop. The voice of Troy Donockley adds a peel of human presence. The last piece, "From Silence: Part Six ", shorter, departs from what precedes by employing the acoustic guitar ( Troy Donockley ) alongside the keyboards and electric guitar ( Dave Bainbridge ). The beauty of the music is always quite present and finishes the album in a kind of paradise of calm and an atmosphere of all encompassing serenity. Afterwards, it is alas necessary to get back down to earth. This album is a mixture of art rock and new age. Let us be clear, this does not have much in common with rock'n'roll, but rather, on occasions it conjures the atmospheres of artists such as Eno or Jon Hassell. Rather, it is very beautiful Celtic music which one can compare more to that of Enya, but mainly instrumental. That does not take anything away from the merits of these musicians/composers who, one senses it very well, exceeded themselves on this occasion. Listeners who look for new discoveries, mysticism, spirituality, meditation or quite simply of majestic beauty, this concerns you more particularly. Background Magazine (Holland): Troy Donockley & Dave Bainbridge From Silence (2005, 56:16, Open Sky Records OPENVP5CD) The last solo albums made by Troy Donockley (Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Uilllian Pipes, Low and Tin Whisle) and Dave Bainbridge (keyboards, Electric Guitar and Bouzouki) were both very impressive emotional albums. Sometimes reminding me of their work with Iona. But the album which they recorded together at Lincoln Cathedral is something different. ³From Silence² is one big improvisation which not everybody might like. Six parts were performed with the title 'From Silence'. The music is all very mellow and has no drum beats on it. Most of it is instrumental and has certainly elements which reminded me of Iona. But if you get the Uillian Pipes and Whistles out of the music you also get the Iona sound out of the music. If you would call the music New Age, I think the musicians will agree with me. The Austrian multi instrumentalist Gandalf also came to my mind when I played the album several times. 'From Silence' must be heard while you have your headphones on. The music was recorded in binaural stereo sound. Which will reveal full surround sound and is designed for headphones listening. This technique involves sampling normal human hearing and rendering that information into two channels of stereo. An extra tip from your reviewer is that you should hear it with your eyes closed. Lying on a bench and a glass of wine in your hand. It certainly brings you into another world. A relaxing world. Away from the daily troubles. Is there a better way to relax? Maybe? But this one is OK for me! *** (Henri) |
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open-ears.com ... prog-pt.com ... www.folkworld.de
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Other
reviews and interviews
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TROY & DAVE CONCERT REVIEW: Read the review of the Burney & Birmingham Gigs (Oct 2003) gigs. See the photos from the burnley Mechanics concert - 13 October 200
RADIO LISTINGS: You can help us to raise awareness of Iona by requesting to hear tracks on those shows we have sent CDs to. You may also email the sites carrying Iona interviews and perhaps leave an enthusiatic message about the band!! Click the link above, for a list of sites / mags / stations that have recently featured Iona.
New Frank website: Iona drummer Frank Van Essen has developed a new website (www.stringsattached.nl)offering his services in arranging, performing and recording for strings.
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Click
the links below for Live Iona in London dvd reviews:
FROM
SILENCE REVIEWS: (
VEIL
OF GOSSAMER: Listed below is a selection of reviews that are on the web.
