This is the re-release of an album which came out in 1999 on Ritornell, the
German "classical" imprint of the seminal French experimental label Mille
Plateaux (Gas, Kid 606), itself a sublabel of Force. Cellosphere was, in
fact, the first CD from Ritornell, which also featured releases from Kim
Cascone and Stephen Mathieu among others in its 29-disc catalog. (That's
"featured" instead of "features," as the label disappeared along with Mille
Plateaux when their distributor EFA-Medien folded in 2004.) The original
release received some critical acclaim for its three tracks of
multi-tracked and processed violin and cello all composed and
performed by Marvin. The title track leads the disc, a 12 minute opus
with a haunting feel that swirls like the currents of a rain-swollen
river. (For more of these aquatic metaphors, see the review of
Marvin's "Neptune," also out now on Burning Shed.) The second piece,
"Harmonic," is the "hit single" of the trio, clocking in just shy of 4
minutes - obviously not something suitable for most pop playlists, but
something that could easily find its way into a movie soundtrack or
perhaps a satellite radio show focusing on ambient music.
The bulk of
the album is given over the to closer "Jeannie," nearly 23 minutes
long, giving Marvin the chance to explore the subtle dynamics of which he is a clear master in greater depth. For this re-release, the bonus track "Sensory" has been added, a well chosen ten-minute
melancholy complement to the opening track that integrates smoothly
enough with the other pieces that you'd never know it was the new kid
on the block. Now to find a cheap way into orbit to listen to this music in zero-g...
