Ark Hive of A Live

Highlights of the set for me include the ebullient The End Of ‘45 Is' (fans of Steve Reich’s Octet really ought to give this a spin) and the introspective piano piece Avalanche Thoughts No. 1.... — Matt Groom, Presto Music, 29th December 2023 More…

Release Date: 10th Nov 2023
Catalogue No: FW07
Label: False Walls

Presto Recording of the Week

29th December 2023

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1. Goodbye Piano Concerto 14:00

2. Attempt At An Ecstatic Moment 08:40

3. Chewing The Corner 08:32

4. Almost The Same Shame 10:24

5. Weighing The Measure 23:35

6. The End Of ‘45 Is’ 20:25

7. This Language Buys Ice Cream 09:43

8. Last Poem 04:28

9. The Touch Of Your Hand 15:25

10. Joe The Miner Sings ‘Thank You My Sponsors’ 03:58

11. Three Characters Chorale 01:49

12. More Matter Less 09:55

13. Playing The Pulse 12:37

14. Darwin’s Sin Draw 16:36

15. Avalanche Thoughts No. 1 14:04

16. Avalanche Thoughts No. 3 04:44

17. Avalanche Thoughts No. 6 14:02

18. Eleven Word Title 26:22

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About

False Walls is delighted to release an ambitious 4 CD set of recordings by Andrew Poppy, along with a 128 page book, including writing by Andrew; an introduction by Paul Morley; other writing by Leah Kardos, Nik Bärtsch and Rose English; and archival photographs. Andrew Poppy developed Ark Hive of A Live as a place for unreleased music from the 80s 90s 00s and 10s. ‘Live’ in the title indicates these works originated in public performance as opposed to the recording studio — however, these live recordings have been processed, and while they remember their original acoustic vibration are now transformed, transplanted and almost the same.

Ark Hive of A Live isn’t a box set ‘best of’ or mini series. Each disc has been ordered to play like an album, with an indelible ‘suite-like’ order, even if many of the pieces were written at different times and with different production details. Volumes 1 to 4 are focused respectively on: the orchestra with a soloist; a collection of vocal pieces, for ensemble or orchestra; music written for independent ensembles; and the contrast between acoustic music and music which creatively exploits electrical and electronic technology. The Ark Hive is an ironic meditation on the archive. It brings together elements of biography and materials from a lifetime of creative endeavour in sonic, language and visual forms.

Reviews

29th December 2023

Highlights of the set for me include the ebullient The End Of ‘45 Is' (fans of Steve Reich’s Octet really ought to give this a spin) and the introspective piano piece Avalanche Thoughts No. 1. Bizarre to think that some of these recordings were originally released on the same pop label as Frankie Goes To Hollywood!

April 2023

The animating spirit is Poppy’s protean musical imagination, as light as wings beating one moment, thunderous and dark the next… “Poppy’s music is like Madagascar — you discover species there you don’t find anywhere else.

Ark Hive of A Live

4 CDs

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