HAINO, KEIJI - 21st Century Hard-y-Guide-y Man

Solo hurdy-gurdy improvisations. Haino has long been a fan of medieval music, which is one of the few places where the hurdy-gurdy makes an appearance. Its a pity that the instrument isnt more used since it has great possibilities for higher-minded multiple drones that can vary in sound from a high-pitched violin-like scraping and squealing to deep quaking resonances. The beauty of the instrument is that you can combine the various drones to build up a multi-layered effect...Hes been experimenting with them over the past year or so in various permutations -- solo, with Fushitsusha, with Vajra and in duos with other musicians. The sounds produced have ranged from gentle accompaniment to a dense brain-altering fug that blows everyone else off stage...Five tracks of beautiful late-night drones, suffused with instantly recognizable Haino atmosphere of mystery. - Alan Cummings.