Ball of Wax over its now 57 quarterly releases has reserved a significant amount of its bandwidth and compact discs to music outside of the norm. One of these outsider tracks is the hypnotic “TG’s Hug Machine (B)” by Portland’s Vardaman Ensemble. It has no commercial potential, and yet I cannot stop listening and exploring its many depths. A lone snap on a snare drum initiates the song. It hangs in the air like a deep inhalation before a race. This is grand and fleeting. Almost too soon cymbals and synths crash, and off we go. Over the next five minutes the Vardaman Ensemble charts a course over a syncopated soundscape full of seesawing droning horns(?), vocals (perhaps), and keys, plink plonking electronics, and synthesized tides. An atmosphere is formed like what I imagine Of Montreal would sound like if I drank too much Robitussin. It’s dreamy, and I am not going to cough.
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So happy to see these guys get discovered. Would you call their style “hypno-jazz”? I’ve been to their live shows and they are something to behold as well, if you ever get the chance. In lieu of a live performance, do yourself a favor when you have 13 minutes to sit back and relax, and take in this haunting video for their song Wobbly (which they sell on VHS tape at their shows, if you can believe it!): https://youtu.be/2c1HBcxYVIY .
Thanks for the link, CK, that whole thing was great–wonderfully played and loaded with visual nostalgia!
Thanks so much for the great review Patrick; also thanks for the kind words CK! The Vardaman Ensemble will be doing a mini tour soon in the Seattle area: Blue Moon Tavern Nov. 1st and Port Townsend Nov. 2nd.
My pleasure. I’m happy that BoW steered you in my direction. I don’t know if I’ll be able to make either of those shows, but I am putting them on my calendar just in case.