The new Sensitive Chaos CD Emerging Transparency is now available from CD Baby.
This second solo effort from Atlanta-based producer and performer Jim Combs contains six new tracks expanding upon the eclectic, electronic palette he established on Leak, the first Sensitive Chaos album released in August of 2006.
Combs re-enlisted Leak soprano saxophonist Brian Good for the songs “Fifty Light Years From Home” and “Bazaar Behavior” (which also features Finnish multi-instrumentalist Otso Pakarinen on synthesizers, synth guitar, and synthesized percussion work).
“There are a few songs on the new CD that date from the Leak sessions, and a few that were created and refined over the past year,” says Combs. “This CD is kind of an homage a broader range of my electronic music influences, and brings in elements of electropop, Berlin-school space rock, and even a bit of avant jazz/reggae/dub. The beats are a bit heavier and the arrangements are a bit thicker.”
U.K. photographer Andrew Lee supplied evocative photographs for the album cover art. Andrew’s impressionistic image processing and subject matter conveys a message of resource conservation that resonates with Combs’ political outlook.
ABOUT THE SONGS
The title track “Emerging Transparency” starts the CD with an ambient drone that soon reveals sequenced ostinato and counterpoint phrases, driving drums, and vintage synth melody lines. Combs originally composed this piece at the 2007 Different Skies music festival, where it saw its live debut. This studio version contains several elements of the original, but has been rearranged with extended themes.
“Erase Yourself” is an instrumental synthpop tune, with a wink and a nod to Vince Clarke.
Brian Good makes his first appearance on the CD’s “Fifty Light Years From Home”, which begins in spacey ambient sounds with a chorale of bells, evolves into more symphonic tones and saxophones, and then devolves into a beat-heavy, ring modulated, electronic quagmire.
Otso Pakarinen joins Combs and Good on “Bazaar Behavior”, a world-beat, jazz-dub, fusion-rock number with lots of ethnic percussion, Otso’s tasty guitar/synth and Brian’s soprano sax work.
“Luck Of The Draw” is another instrumental synthpop homage, drawing its influence from the darker side of the genre.
And closing out the album is “Tanzen Filter”, which tries to decide whether it’s leaning toward Miami, New Orleans, or Detroit.
With the exception of his collaborators’ original tracks, sessions for the CD were done at Combs’ Common Sound Studio in Decatur, GA. “I rely upon my custom Sequentix P3 sequencer for creating most of the initial compositions, then record track-by-track into MOTU Digital Performer for arrangements and mixing. The sounds come mostly from my current live rig of a Roland JD-800, Novation SuperNova, Roland JV-1080, and three different Korg Electribe drum machines, plus my collection of old hardware synthesizers like my Moog Minimoog, Yamaha CS-50, and Fender Rhodes. And there’s a few softsynths in the mix, mostly Reason and Korg Analog Legacy.”
ABOUT SENSITIVE CHAOS
Sensitive Chaos, a solo project of Atlanta-based producer and electronic musician Jim Combs, was voted Atlanta’s “Best Local Electronic Act” 2007-2008 by readers of Creative Loafing.
Leak was the first album from Sensitive Chaos and was selected as a “Top Visionary Music of 2007″ by KKUP 91.5 FM in Cupertino, CA, and as New Age Reporter’s “Top 12 Best Ambient/Spacemusic/Electronica Recordings of 2006″.
Current internet radio airplay for Sensitive Chaos Leak album cuts includes StillStream.com, Space Station SomaFM, and SomaFM cliqhop idm.
Other terrestrial and internet radio airplay for Leak includes Public Radio International-distributed Echoes (broadcast on over 145 stations across the US), KEVL FM 89.9 in Memphis, TN, NPR member station WDIY 88.1 FM, Allentown and Bethlehem, PA, WREK 91.1 FM in Atlanta, GA, WFIT 89.5 FM in Palm Bay, FL, WDBX 91.1 FM in Carbondale, IL, KKUP 91.5 FM in Cupertino, CA, Radio Despi 107.1 FM in Barcelona, Spain, WXDU 88.7 FM in Durham, NC, WWSP 90 FM in Stevens Point, WI, CoolStreams Ambient Caverns, WUSM 88.5 FM in Hattiesburg, MS, WTUL 91.5 FM in New Orleans, LA, AMBiENT PiNG RADiO out of Toronto, Canada, KRFC in Colorado, 106.7 FM WETX in Johnson City, TN, WVKR-FM in Poughkeepsie, NY, YLE Radio 1 in Finland, Aural Innovations Radio, and KTUH FM 90.3 FM in Honolulu, HI.
Press for Sensitive Chaos and Leak includes:
Atlanta Creative Loafing, Best of 2007 Awards
CoolStreams Ambient Caverns
Electroambient Space
Guts Of Darkness (Canada)
Hypnagogue Ambient Music News & Reviews
Johnson City Press and Go Tri Cities
Melliflua (UK)
Music Beyond The Lake
New Age Reporter
Ping Things (Canada)
Secret Music
Sequences Music Magazine (UK)
Sonic Curiosity
Southeast Performer Magazine
Stomp and Stammer Magazine
Sensitive Chaos Leak is available at CDBaby.com and iTunes.
Information on Sensitive Chaos can be found at sensitivechaos.com or www.myspace.com/sensitivechaos
Information on Jim Combs can be found at www.myspace.com/jimcombs
Information on Brian Good can be found at sundaggermusic.com
Information on Otso Pakarinen can be found at ozoneplayer.com
Information on Andrew Lee can be found at www.flickr.com/focusman5
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