Acuarela Discs
Manyfingers : Our Worn Shadow (UK,2006)****
As a one man band, Chris Cole, cellist from the Third Eye Foundation (a band which I appreciated much with the neo-classic breakbeat album “Lost Little Soul”, but from which didn’t check much more other later albums) was occasional member from Movietone and still is drummer of post rock band Soeza. With help of Aaron Dewey on cornet and Ida Alfstad on vocals, together as Manyfingers they delivered a multi-coloured expression which I found at first hearing a bit difficult to categorize. The music is in fact built up with many instruments creating a multi-coloured vision based upon mostly minimalist ideas (especially with piano, some of the acoustic arrangements). The rhythms and a bit of mixing give the music a more modern feeling. Together with some bits of brass the mood lies also close to a moody jazz influence, even when this is built up upon rather classical minimalism. Within this form (of minimalism), there are built up some tensions (especially in the last few tracks) which gives it a more emotional richness and quality. A really nice and very pleasant album. Recommended.
As a bonus, a DVD is added with a really nice, almost abstract, graphic black-and-white artwork of moving fishes, sea, and marbling light, and a few live tracks. There we can see how Chris Cole manages with some loops and effects and tricks to play and build up several pieces completely on his own on stage.
