Search - David Toop :: Black Chamber

The Black Chamber (Kurodo) is a room where the emperor from Komatsu after his accession to the throne always cooked for himself, still remembering how in the past, when he was a private person, he had dabbled in cookery. They say it is called the Black Chamber because it has become sooty from kindling smoke.' Essays In Idleness: The Tsurezuregusa of Kenko (c. 1330-1332). Recorded, played and produced by David Toop at the mythic The Bathosphere in autumn 2002, this record is an important landmark in his work because it's an accomplishement and a synthesis of many preoccupations from his whole artistic life. Presents in these sessions: Tom Recchion, Terry Day (Alterartion), Paul Burwell, Watanabe, Lol Coxhill...many of these musicians were the main protagonists of the London improvisation scene in the seventies. It included too some surprising field recordings in China and in his own garden in London. The tonality, the general key, is very diverse with something Japanese in the air, an important part of 'real instruments' on a complexe electronic organization Soft Cavities, Raw Mouth Shape, The Slapping Gun and Plume (inspired by the Belgian Henri Michaux) are successful mix up of electronic devices and Coxhill's sax improvistions. 'Waxed Skin' and 'Poison Incense' are very delicate micro-sound excercices (including time to time some acoustic instruments). 'Apartment Thunder' and 'Ill-Faced Doll' are a short erotic Japanese movies. 'Silver Birds' and 'Life In the Folds' are field recordings in China and to be true it's hard to admit that 'Gored Fig Sacs' was recorded in his own garden (but it was). The very soft 'Blind Eel Priestess' involved electronics and beautiful electric guitars. At least, 'Black Chamber' is an amazing lynchian piece with his compelling part of guitar arpeggio. a splendor. Black Chamber is his maturity masterpiece.