CHRISTIAN MARCLAY
1. Okkyung Lee and Martin Schütz (Tonic, New York, Mar. 23) An excellent improvisation, as two adventurous cellists in their first performance together dueled with swift bows in a cloud of rosin.
2. Butch Morris and Burnt Sugar, The Rites Conductions Inspired by Stravinsky’s Le Sacre Du Printemps (Trugroid/Avantgroid) Greg Tate’s band under Morris’s baton. Seeing the maestro in a live “conduction” is like being in his brain—his thought process at once visible and audible.
3. Ryoji Ikeda, op. (Touch) Electronic minimalist Ikeda unplugs and composes for a string quartet. A sparse progression of movements, lyrical and cinematic.
4. DJ Olive, Bodega (The Agriculture) Sensuous beats take you for a walk through Brooklyn’s corner stores; aromas abound. Little gems mixed by one of my favorite turntablists.
5. Alan Licht, A New York Minute (XI) Licht composes like the writer that he is. Ideas—simply stated and highly effective—emerge from a collage of everything from loops of raw guitar to radio weather reports.
6. tba, tba (max.E) A Thomas Brinkmann easy-listening release, more champagne pop and fizz than vinyl pop and click.
7. Tim Barnes, Toshio Kajiwara, and Marina Rosenfeld, A Water’s Wake (Locust) A crucial document by three respected young players from the New York improvisation scene.
8. Christof Migone, South Winds (Strange Attractors Audio House) An electronic homage to the legendary Pétomane, “fart artist” of the Moulin Rouge.
9. Yoshimi and Yuka, Flower with No Color (Ipecac) Boredoms and Cibo Matto go fishing. A dreamlike psychedelic exotica trip through nature.
10. Tonic (New York) The best little club in New York for new and adventurous music.
