Brooklyn-based cellist and neo-classic artist Clarice Jansen released one of the most relevant records in 2020. After her critical acclaimed debut „For This From That Will Be Filled“ back in 2018, Jansen comes back with a more Drone influenced record. Different as the predecessor, it‘s entirely written and performed by Jansen itself with a high variety of effects and pedals.
With her new album „The Experience Of Repetition As Death“ Jansen debuts on the well known FatCat records imprint. The record was mixed by Francesco Donadello (A Winged Victory For The Sullen) and mastered by Rafael Anton Irisarri at Vox-Ton studios in Berlin back in 2018. Jansen works with a bunch of stellar artists in the past, including Jóhann Jóhannson, Max Richter, Dustin O‘Holloran and Stars Of The Lid. She also works as artistic director of the well known ACME (The American Contemporary Music Ensemble) to develop modern classical music to the next level. As a solo artist Jansen is an expert to improvising and layering her instruments through loops and electronic effects with a rich series of drone-based sound fields. With her new record Jansen reaches a new level of this evolution. It starts with the massive cello foreground in the opening track „Daily“. It‘s a more neo classical one that‘s divided into two parts and fading perfectly into the second track. „Day tonight“ starts with a dark-tone drone intro. The reference to earlier works from Rafael Anton Irisarri isn‘t unmistakeable. It‘s a balance between darkness and light and the shades between. With „Metastable“ the drones are more present and frightening. It was inspired by the chorus of repetitive beeping heard in hospitals. The beeps here integrate themselves into a single loop. But one of the most dramatic parts of the five pieces is „Holy Mother“. For me it‘s the center and masterpiece of the record. It starts with a dramatic Cello part before the drone elements kicks in. The switching between fore and background is pure beauty. The title refers to the Tibetan name of Mount Everest (Qomolangma). With a runtime about 12 minutes it is also the longest track of the record. It‘s a monument of a track! With the closing track Jansens picks up the tape loops from the opener, but this time with the tape having been subjected to methods of degredation in order to erode the sound. It ends with a quartet of cellos and a warm melody without effects and a perfect fading out. „The Experience Of Reputation As Death“ is a powerful record between neo classic and drone elements. What a journey!
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