The Sound of Raspberry

On The Sound of Raspberry, Tatsuya Yoshida, drummer and founder of the legendary Japanese band Ruins, has teamed up with Mexican noise saxophonist Martín Escalante. Together they execute a series of short to medium length song-like pieces. The duo plays with extreme control at super high energy levels, breathing, blasting, screaming and synthing their way through each track with violent yet surgical precision. Armed only with his slightly modified alto saxophone, Escalante uses no pedals, edits or post production effects to create a disorienting whirlwind of harsh noise, lightning fast bursts of bleeps and squeals and non musical tones and textures, the urgency expressed in his tone is relentless.

On the other hand Yoshida’s drumming leaves no stone unturned, at some moments playing drums and synth or piano while doing wordless Magma-like vocals all at once. His style of improvisation may be structured and neat but it does not for a moment lack intensity. It’s hard to believe that this is 100% improvised music, Yoshida’s drumming starts/stops on a dime and meets Escalante’s needle sharp twists and turns. The A side is all acoustic drums/sax/vocals while the B side introduces synth and piano elements by Yoshida and takes the mood to another dimension. Futurism? Noise? Prog? Improvisation? Cut-up? Yes please.

“This record in 50 words or less... Protoplasmic, maniacal, cacophonous, bodacious, gorgeous, tragic, opulent, profound, vortex, shapeshifting, whiplash, infantile, mind-bending, addictive, mutant, balloon folding, mechanized, Dayglo, archaic, wormhole, effervescent, orgasmatron, violent, bleating, predatory, flaming, nuclear, hysterical, gorgeous, gaseous, propelled, fugitive, pliable, diabolic, ritualistic, spasmodic, suction, uncouth, venomous, diaphanous, intimate, biomorphic, noncaloric, bovine, interactive, comforting, confrontational, glossalalia, parasitic, flatulent, genius.”
-Mats Gustafsson

“This is what we NEED! In these confused, populistic and fascist times — this is the JAZZ we need! URGENT! DEDICATED! RADICAL! Unique-face-peeling-cutting- edge- and- totally-in-your-face-MF! This is ALL we need for a better living! Think... Borbetomagus, John Zorn, TG, Masami Akita, Hanatarash... this is IT and yet, not at all alike!”
-Joe Potts (LAFMS, Airway, Extended Organ)

"Absolutely blistering duo album. The sax sounds like it's laser-cutting its way through the atmosphere while the drums expand and contract the time/space around the sax. Hit after hit///make your head spin."
-Chris Corsano