Kambang Adzan

Living in Florida, we have the pleasure of listening to and experiencing many thunderstorms. This cassette titled Kambang Adzan, recorded by Jeff Milano brings familiar sounds with a foreign helix around an unfamiliar world. The call to prayer captured on this tape, combined with the passing thunderstorm and the myriad of urban sounds creates a complex world for the listener to be part of.

This recorded portion of the world in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia is hauntingly beautiful.

Without the knowledge of how far the sounds are coming from, our how many sources there are from various directions, the effect takes on an almost drone like environment. A constant tone of prayer can be heard, peaking at times, then drifting into the background. The rain causes sounds of water dripping, giving another dimension for your mind to find shelter in. The thunder is strong, but seems distant in respect to the source of the recording. Then the prayer is sung what seems like right there, close to the microphone. The song slowly steps away, clear but softer, rain still cleansing the day. Sometimes a motor, horn or meowing cat can be heard. The last prayer sounds as if it is being delivered through an amplifier. Louder with the electric hollow sound present.

I am not sure if i have ever listened to anything like this before. For the place and time this was recorded, it is truly mesmerizing. One thing to note is the quality of sound for the cassette. I listened to this digitally through the computer and then played from the tape. The physical form added so many details i seem to miss from the digital version (through the bandcamp link). I am sure a proper download would be better. The cassette has the same recording on both sides which allows for an uninterrupted experience. This was released in March of 2015 by Eiderdown Records in an edition of 100. Copies are available through the label's bandcamp page.





Links
Eiderdown Records site - bandcamp - facebook