'Dage' is the sixth collaborative release by the Netherlands based trio of brothers Jan & Romke Kleefstra together with Anne-Chris Bakker.
The Kleefstra’s musical partnership began when Romke was asked to accompany Jan’s poetry recitals by creating soundscapes on the guitar. Since then, the brothers have collaborated with a range of artists including Machinefabriek, Peter Broderick, Gareth Davis, Nils Frahm, Greg Haines and Danny Saul.
Upon listening to ‘Dage’, the listener will hear that the album is uniquely characterised by the Frisian (a dialect spoken in the northern stretches of the Netherlands) poetry recited by Jan over an ever-morphing musical backdrop, created by nothing more than the inventive use of bowed, looped and processed electric guitars.
Jan’s poetry melts seamlessly into the soundscapes created by the two guitarists. One senses an icy coolness thanks to the humming, wind-like drones that fill the album. Bowed strings provide weight and an almost subliminal percussive element, joined by echoed, sorrowful guitar.
When the spoken voice returns, there is an eerie sense of loneliness that transcends the music; the trio’s intense processing resulting in a series of stark contemplative moments which, beyond their natural bleak aspect reveal some truly evocative settings.
credits
released November 24, 2016
Recorded by Jan Switters at Studio Landscape, Gau, the Netherlands, autumn 2014
Mixed by Anne Chris Bakker
Jan Kleefstra: voice, poetry
Anne Chris Bakker: guitar, effects
Romke Kleefstra: guitar, effects
When seeking truly quiet, peaceful music, most of what I hear I leave, not sensing internal depth below the sound. This is different. In a moment when subtle stimulation (a bit paradoxically) is sought as a means to deeper tranquility, this excels beautifully. For others who might have connected with Stray Ghost or Silver Mount Zion or Taphephobia, yet whose minds can dwell in greater and healthier lucid calm, this is remarkable. L
Three titanic new age entities collaborate to build an immersive, progressive sound-world that aims to inspire as much as it soothes. Bandcamp New & Notable Oct 10, 2018