Ensemble by slicnaton

Silber’s been working with slicnaton in some regard for ten years now, it’s hard to believe how fast time can pass. Led by Nicholas Slaton, slicnaton mixes elements of jazz, electroacoustics, no input mixing, glitch, drone, & noise. With a background in jazz & classical composition, Slaton comes to the drone & noise table with an exceptionally musical ear & nuance often lost in the genres. On the new album Ensemble he expands on his electroacoustic drone roots.
“The idea was to write a set of songs & to perform & record those with my friends”, says Slaton. The album evolved from material arranged to suggest improvisation while maintaining a compositional framework, tunes with harmonies & melodies, but also malleable forms & structures. “I like symmetric tonalities & exploring the harmonic series of sounds. I like to push a little, push the band, push the audience, push myself.” With charts written & shows booked, the band was assembled, performed & was recorded. These live performances acted as source materials for the album before you. Slaton’s main instrument may be the double bass, but in this context he is the composer & sculptor as well as a performer. “The group is sensitive & patient, working together to develop the melodies, letting the music happen,” explains Slaton. The post production treatments with electronics add additional layers, blending so well it can be difficult to distinguish who is playing what when. As the instrumentation gives way, what was written & interpreted is reinterpreted, creating an atmosphere that swirls like ghosts in the air – demanding attention, while always slightly out of reach to those anchored to the physical world.

Silber has been getting drone, experimental, & other fiercely independent music out to the masses since 1996.

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