It is often the self-appointed lot of the artist who works in the fields of experimental or avant-art to offer the visual or aural consumer cause to look in upon themselves in order to apply meaning to what they witness. Just as often, the art itself is often inward-looking, doubling the difficulty for the bystander as they struggle to decode what they see and hear before them.

Snares of Sixes are (or rather, is) no different in this respect but, in a very separate aspect, very much an artist apart. There are elements in Moonbladder, a twenty-nine minute tone poem created through the manipulation of sound, both treated, organic and played, which actively seem to welcome a shared experience with the listener that is very often lacking with material such as this; an invitation to become part of what is unfolding occurs around the four minute mark, where an unlikely apparition of the a folk dance manifests itself, challenging the listener to join in the performance. As I listener I have not felt so included in a piece just through the act of listening for some while.

Unusually too for a piece as challenging as this, elements of more mainstream artistic influence emerge and then disappear, fleetingly but with enough substance to make their mark. Keen listeners will I am sure find their own answers within the overall ‘text’; I heard Mike Oldfield as well as John Cage, but it is almost certain that each individual respondent will arrive at different answers,

In short, Moonbladder is an intriguing addition to this listener’s library; and whilst it will almost certainly challenge many listeners to the point of distraction, it is open hearted enough to appeal to anybody that truly approaches the piece with ears to hear. As such it comes as a highly recommended release.



Moonbladder releases on October 1st.