Two trumpets, free improvisation, and extended techniques. A number of efforts that fit this brief description could be imagined, each sounding different. Here, veterans Allemano and Dorner eschew the random noise and organized chaos that could have been (not that there would have been anything wrong with that approach) and instead apply their formidable skills in both improvisation and composition to produce a compelling album of duets.
While outside and occasionally guttural, Aphelia is quite a pleasant listen. One of the features that Allemano and Dorner explore is the lilting passage in which their lines slowly pull apart and then move back together in a “rubberbanding” fashion. Another involves breathy fricatives that result in an airy denseness of structured white noise. They also employ overdubs and layers to create a mini-orchestra of trumpets.
In combination, these and other techniques result in an engaging 45 minutes. Allemano and Dorner seem to be whispering secrets to one another in an otherworldly language that the rest of us cannot fully understand.
Aphelia invites the listener to fully engage in a sonic experiment that defies traditional trumpet music conventions. Those who accept this solicitation will find much to appreciate.
Avant Music News 