Weekend Listening: Yoshi Wada – Earth Horns with Electronic Drone
May 24, 2014 by Matthew Klassen 
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Images
—01. Recorded at Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse.
—02. Released on EM Records and Omega Point.
Words
Earth Horns with Electronic Drone is a mesmerizing release from the succinct catalog of veteran musician and sound installation artist, Yoshi Wada. Released in 2009 on the Japanese labels EM Records and Omega Point, the recording of a near three hour performance from 1974 at the Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse, New York predates his previous three releases. Wada and three co-conspirators hold hypnotizing sustained tones on their 'earth horns,' anchored by an ever-present synthesizer drone played by a fifth member, Liz Phillips. This is early ritualistic drone music that serves as a time capsule of the 1970s experimental scene and foreshadows the sound of many contemporary bands. The three LP version contains the full 162 minutes of music and is lavishly packaged in four-colour printed 12 inch inner sleeves. This is a really heady listen that should appeal to any fans of early Terry Riley, Tony Conrad or the Taj Mahal Travellers.
