So unusual is Ian Ethan Case's instrument and his related playing style that these aspects are what first grab attention. So let's talk instead about the listening experience. In an hour and a half of music on two discs, Run Toward the Mountains is a sonic feast, an epic journey both aurally and conceptually. Part I, "Migration," has six pieces, only one as short as 5 minutes; Part II, "The Infinite Race," has five pieces that range in length from 7 to over 12 minutes. Each piece is a mini-symphony that holds the attention fully. On these free-form compositions there's a sense of discovery and exploration, as if they are being invented as you are listening -- and in fact Case has said that his ideas often occur unintentionally, in an organic way out of his practicing, and later are refined and shaped to define his ideas. The pieces are arresting, often surprising, whether slow, quiet meditations ("The Comforter;" "The Gift"), more melodic ("The Circle"), or feverishly paced ("The Centrifuge" or "Aftershocks"). The hallmarks of his style are its intensity, fluidity, and precision; rhythmic and compositional complexity; and percussive effects. Then there's the instrument: Case plays a double-neck guitar with a 12-string neck on top and a 6-string on the bottom, allowing for a big orchestral sound. He also plays with looping to add layers, such as on "Ridgeline," with its breathtaking jazzy lines. Watching him perform has apparently left audiences astonished, and luckily, there are online videos of his playing, so listeners can appreciate how groundbreaking his music is. Witness the wow factor of "Butter II," where his left hand is doing lightning-fast hammer-ons on the top neck while the right is doing percussive legerdemain on the bottom, or that of "Who's There?," where he plays intricate runs of hammer-ons with contrasting rhythms on both necks simultaneously - without sacrificing the beautiful melodic line - capping it all off with shimmering harmonics. Case has said that to him, music is one infinite web in which he's trying to discover the points of connection. These questing aims and ideas are manifest in the interwoven strands and sounds of Run Toward the Mountains, a major achievement which is sure to confirm Case among the ranks of significant artists at work today. © Céline Keating - Minor 7th
New album "Run Toward The Mountains" out now!
Listen/Buy: http://www.candyrat.com/artists/ianet...
itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/run...
amazon: http://amzn.com/B017EU09R2
spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/68ZqWY...
Visit Ian Ethan Case at: http://ianethan.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OpenLandMusic
Live performance dates: http://ianethan.com/concerts
Video by Duncan Wilder - http://www.RhythmOfYou.com
Ian Ethan Case - The Gift - (18-String Guitar)
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