Memorize the Sky

They Say...

Review by Michael G. Nastos, All Music Guide

Former residents of the Ann Arbor, MI improvising music scene who went on to study and work with Anthony Braxton, the collective trio of woodwindist Matt Bauder, bassist Zach Wallace, and percussionist Aaron Siegel have created music under the guise Memorize the Sky, that is amazing on many different levels. Primarily, they have created an acoustic texture music that sounds entirely electronic, but is not in the least. Another aspect is that they have achieved a balance of sounds that is perfectly level, and depends on acute listening. Finally, their musicianship is honed and harnessed to a focal point that is at once ritualistic and futuristic. This reflective symbiosis is evident from the first track "Raft of Stone/Lake of Light" and flows through the entire disc. Sonic layers, sustained long tones, and harmonic overtones are used liberally, as Bauder's reed instruments melt into the bass of Wallace and Siegel's wet extended techniques on drums and vibraphone. "Etch of Wood" may deviate from the norm, as the group uses a lot of null space between notes, creating a tuneful atmospheric beauty, "House of Wind" is even more sparse and enigmatic, and "Path of Spider" is ghostly. The collective improvisations "Cloud of Clay" and "Brick of Fire" more clearly identify the ancient to the future concept. The former has a Native American feel with gurgling vocals that are not vocals, and the latter piece, while signifying crackling, more clearly evokes a liquid percussive image. This recording feels like it was made by veteran musicians much more seasoned by life, so it is going to be intriguing what else they may be capable of down the road, or in the troposphere.