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Ancient and modern technology collide head-on in “circular hymns” , a musical journey to the ends of the earth and beyond. The didgeridoo and the digital sampler, both circular in the nature of their elements combine to reveal a new, unchartered world of music experience.
The personnel constellation of Which Doctor Watson? is shrouded in myth and misinformation. Its eclectic selection of team-members work outside accepted limits of taste and style conducting wild experiments in sonic research and the aural boundaries of poetry.
McGrath the front man, plays didgeridoo, alto saxophone, percussion, xylophone, guitar and vocals live, samples the music then arranges the samples to compose a rich variety of songs and sound sculptures that are highly original, moving and entertaining. Ballads, hymns, poems, thundering jigs and urban blues and atmospheric instrumentals offer a constant change of style and pace to the program of the circular hymns concerts and CD. Frauke Marie blesses the project with rich vocal prowess weaving otherworldly melodies and emotional intelligence into the heady mix of Which Doctor Watson musical brews. André Schulz, the mad inventor, keeps wheels from falling off the runaway train. His percussive and directorial contribution lend vision and order to an entity born of the darkness of original chaos.
The “circular hymns” project, written by Matthew McGrath, is forged in the fulcrum of darkly joyous experimentation and exploration of sound and passion but also draws on his 25 years experience in Berlin as an Australian poet, musician and artist. Each song is built around its lyrics, texts are central to much of the music. The instrumental works are set free to explore unknown musical territories. The didgeridoo and the “Jam Man” sampler combine to create unusual but moving music never heard before. Songs of reflection, passion and irreverence.
The circular nature of repetition in the didgeridoo, of one the world’s oldest musical instruments and the digital sampler, one of the newest, gives the project its name.
Ich möchte Dir meine große Bewunderung und meinen größten Respekt für das tolle Album circular hymns aussprechen. Man hört, dass es auf einem absolut hohen, professionellen Niveau produziert wurde. Aber vor allem bin ich tief beeindruckt von der Musikalität, der Magie der Vielseitigkeit und emotionalen Tiefe des Albums. Es ist so absolut überraschend und einzigartig. Und gerade auch dein Gesang ist absolut authentisch und fesselnd. Und obwohl oder gerade weil die düsteren Stimmungen das Album dominieren und die Musik einen experimentellen Charakter hat, ist es ein Album, was ich mir ganz sicher noch viele viele Male anhören werde und ganz vielen Leuten weiterempfehlen werde.
