Monday, November 28, 2011

Zone Music Reporter reviews Sensitive Chaos 'Remembering Chestnuts, Icy Cold, and Bells'


http://www.zonemusicreporter.com/recording/viewreviews.asp?rvwbrdcmmt=947

Sensitive Chaos
Remembering Chestnuts, Icy Cold, and Bells
Subsequent Records (2011)


Over the years I have reviewed some unconventional holiday music releases, but Remembering Chestnuts, Icy Cold, and Bells by Jim Combs, aka Sensitive Chaos, is likely the most unconventional one yet. Combs is an electronic music artist well-known for his affiliation with the City Skies concert series. Rather than take the "safe" route and merely use his arsenal of synthesizers to record the classics, Combs has instead created seasonal soundscapes that, through his choice of synthesizer sounds, captures the festive magic of this special time of year. In his liner notes, Combs recalls listening to holiday records with his family growing up, with music made up of bells, organs, pianos, and choirs. He also recounts being deeply affected by a holiday recording on the pioneering digital label Second Hearing. All of the myriad influences have culminated in this unique combination of lively electronic pieces, punctuated by twinkling bell tones, crystalline textures, and syncopated rhythms, the latter of which may call to mind wooden soldiers marching round the Christmas tree. Besides the cheery selections on the CD, which I found to be charming and refreshingly light-hearted, there is a well-done ambient number, Winter Winds Across the Heartland, that evokes the titular picture of a stark and somber, yet beautiful, landscape, via icy synth pads, whistling quavering tones, and underlying drones. The other selections on the disc are variations on the formula heard on the opening title track, althoughRemembering Chestnuts, Icy Cold, and Bells (prologue) has a more overt retro-EM feel to it, and less of a holiday-esque coloring, especially when the rhythms drop off and Combs moves into flowing ambient territory. One last fact that may amaze you (it did me) is that all but one of the pieces (the sole exception is the non-holiday-themed bonus track at the end of the CD) were recorded at live concerts! Color me mega-impressed!

Rating: Good+
- reviewed by Bill Binkelman on 11/27/2011

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

KCBX 90FM Last Jazz Show plays Sensitive Chaos "Carillon et le Champagne"


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Last Jazz Show with Sal Espana      [email host]
Tuesday10:00pm-1:00am

Nobody's really sure, but we think Jon Iverson started hosting The Last Jazz Show on Tuesday nights at KCBX sometime around 1980. A refugee from free-form FM rock radio, he quickly dove into the KCBX jazz library and systematically worked through the decades only to end up hovering around today's music fringes.

Sal EspaƱa began co-hosting with Jon around 2004, eventually going solo in 2009. Like most of our audience, Sal ponders the name of the program, as little actual "Jazz" is played. Neal claims it's Jon's sense of humor. Neal's usually right.

Since we follow "Pickin' Up The Tempo," we usually start with something acoustic - often a guitar, sometimes edging towards Rock. But, this being a public radio station, we veer off into the night spinning the latest ambient, electronic, classical, world music hybrids.


Playlist for: Tuesday, November 22, 2011 
Time Artist Title Album Label 
10:01 PMAncient Future14 StepsWorld Without WallsSoma Gaia
10:06 PMChinmaya DunsterOcean EmotionsGaia's GardenNew Earth
10:14 PMPaul AvgerinosFertile Soil of PeaceBlissRound Sky Music
10:22 PM------------------------------------- break -------------------------------------
10:23 PMDouble FantasyFood for FantasySample 1Innovative Communication
10:31 PMJean-Michel JarreMagnetic Fields Part 1Magnetic FieldsDreyfus
10:48 PM------------------------------------- break -------------------------------------
10:49 PMJames AsherNorthpointReturn of the TigerNew Earth
10:55 PMMichael StriblingAlchemists WorkshopSafely in the Arms of LoveLeela Music
10:59 PM------------------------------------- break -------------------------------------
11:00 PMSensitive ChaosCarillon et le ChampagneRemembering Chestnuts, Icy Cold, and BellsSubsequent Records
11:13 PMAlexander BerneFlicker 1Flickers of MimeInnova Recordings
11:21 PM------------------------------------- break -------------------------------------
11:22 PMStanislav KreitchiEllipsada Part 1AnsianaElectroshock Records
11:37 PMHenry Wolff/Nancy HemmingsJourney to the EndTibetan Bells IICelestial Harmonies
11:58 PM------------------------------------- break -------------------------------------
11:59 PMKathy RaimeyStill LifeStill MovingSpiral Soundcase
12:06 AMMingoTranslation of a Lost ConsciousnessThe Light That Bends
12:13 AMPatrick O'HearnWell ManneredTransitionsPatrick O'Hearn Music
12:19 AM------------------------------------- break -------------------------------------
12:20 AMAnna ThorvaldsdottirStreaming ArhythmiaRhizomaInnova Recordings
12:38 AM------------------------------------- break -------------------------------------
12:39 AMPatrick GleesonRainbow DeltaRainbow DeltaPassport Records

Monday, November 21, 2011

KUAC 89.9FM Nightlight plays Remembering Chestnuts, Icy Cold, and Bells


KUAC Playlists


NightlightLocally HostedNov 20, 2011
11:00PM - 1:00AM
host / produce, andyb, "bringing in music that falls between the cracks"
NameSong TitleName of CD
catherine marie charltonintrospectionred leaf, gray sky
kathey raimeybear dreamsit is always now
sensitive chaosnightshift at the baby mecha nurseryremembering chestnuts, icy cold, and bells
darshan ambientsun fadedream in blue
paul winter consorttrks 2,3,4,5,6,13,11,12.crestone
hennie bekkercomfortspa
rudy adrianpassing through familiar hillsatmospheric works
sogarsonst wesentlichapikal blend
near the parenthesisnot here not tonightmusic for the forest concourse
deep sky diversgradually becoming cyclonicincandescent
pheo rosehelp mehealing earth life
mike howeisland of anywhereisland of anywhere
fred thranemoraga ragaangels of the sun
steve roach erik wollofirst twilightthe road eternal
justin vanderburgthe pathsynthetic memories
patrick ohearnrestlesstransitions
darshan ambientupon reflectiondream in blue

Sunday, November 20, 2011

WYSO 91.3FM Alpha Rhythms show plays more Sensitive Chaos "A Piece of Stars"


WYSO Playlists

Alpha RyhthmsJustin Vanderberg, Jerry Kenney and Juliet FromholtNov 20, 2011
8:00PM - 11:00PM
NameSong TitleName of CDTrack LabelOn-Air TimePurchase
Huun Huur Tu & Carmen RizzoAncestors' CallEternalElectrofone Music8:00:00PMAmazon
2002Flight of the SwanDamayantiGalactic Playground8:05:42PMAmazon
Karsh KaleIslandCinemaSix Degrees8:11:15PMAmazon
David ArkentstoneStar FallAmbient WorldDomo Records8:16:59PMAmazon
BrainscapesEarth-LinkChakraDanceCyberOctave8:25:39PMAmazon
Jonsi & AlexIndian SummerRiceboy SleepsBeggar's Group8:32:58PMAmazon
Sensitive ChaosA Piece of StarsSeeker After PatternsSubsequent Records8:43:34PMAmazon
Justin VanderbergWhen I WalkSynthetic MemoriesSpotted Peccary8:49:47PMAmazon
Catherine Marie CharltonRed Leaf, Grey SkyRed Leaf, Grey SkyCatherine Marie Charlton8:53:56PMAmazon
Michael Brant DeMariaSarasvatiGaiaMichael Brant DeMaria9:00:41PMAmazon
SajjadUnseen SacrificesWhere I BelongSajjad9:06:18PMAmazon
Banco de GaiaSinhalaThe magical Sounds ofSix Degrees9:13:32PMAmazon
Darshan AmbientTalking BooksA Day Within DaysLotusSpike9:23:08PMAmazon
William AckermanThe WheelNew England RoadsCompass Records9:33:20PMAmazon
Yann TiersenComtine D'un Autre Ete: L'apres MidiAmelieVirgin9:36:22PMAmazon
Jonathan EliasTrinityPath To ZeroAcross The Universe Records9:38:42PMAmazon
MogwaiKings MeadowThe Hawk Is HowlingMatador9:48:42PMAmazon
Lisa GerrardThe Valley Of The MoonThe Silver TreeHigh Wire Music9:53:27PMAmazon
Stanton LanierAwaken The DawnUnveiledPianist Of Peace9:56:59PMAmazon
EnigmaWhy!...Enigma 3: Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi!Virgin10:05:41PMAmazon
BTRememberESCMReprise10:10:30PMAmazon
Paul EllisThe Click And Chime Of Passing TimeFrom Out Of The Vast Comes NearnessLotuspike10:18:30PMAmazon
Sam RosenthalRaeThe PassageProjekt10:31:18PMAmazon
Steve Roach & Brian ParnhamAncestral PassageThe Desert InbetweenProjekt10:41:18PMAmazon
Jonn SerrieThe Stars, Like Dust (excerpt)The Stargazer's JourneyNew World Music10:50:37PMAmazon