Natural Information Society & Bitchin Bajas - Totality [MC]

Format: MC
Catalogue No.: DC860C
Barcode: 0781484086048
Release Date: 25 Apr 2025
Genre: Post Rock/Experimental

 Years past the space time of ‘Automaginary’, Bitchin Bajas and Natural Information Society have reported back at last from beyond. If the new title doesn’t clue you, ‘Totality’ brings good news. Since their first collaboration, the pathways that lead from Natural Information Society’s ecstatic all-world jazz to Bitchin Bajas’ microtonal soundscapes have grown ever finer in their articulation. Across the spectrum, the septet balance a deeply searching mood with wonderfully in-pocket production feel. This makes for collective aural transport of the highest order to all those listening in.
 In the time since their 2015 first convergence, the Natural Information Society have released four albums (one in collaboration with Evan Parker, one with Ari Brown) and Bitchin Bajas five (one a soundtrack, one with Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, one featuring the songs of Sun Ra). Given the multivarious paths both groups have travelled, it makes sense that their second convergence seems to emanate from centuries, eons beyond or
below - some undefinable elsewhere - from their first. ‘Totality’ is that.
 These days, Natural Information Society are populated differently. From the sextet that co-created ‘Automaginary’, Joshua Abrams, Lisa Alvarado and Mikel Patrick Avery remain. In the stead of the departed former players is Jason Stein on bass clarinet. This might account for some mere impression of aspects of time, space and evolution to be found here - but then again, Bitchin Bajas flow on in their long-standing trio configuration (Cooper Crain, Dan Quinlivan, Rob Frye), so the ‘people in the room’ theory of how ‘Totality’ ever got this way will only take us so far.
 Recorded in a single day with Greg Norman at Chicago’s Electrical Audio, then slowly considered into the finished record we hear here, ‘Totality’ is a sweet-tempered second child. It experiences time in ways the first kid didn’t. There are lots of simmering time and synth atmospheres dappled with radiant woodwinds, but there’s some head-snapping hypno-rhythms that stand apart from the groove energies of the first one. It’s just natural facts: two different days in time separated by years, with the experience of several live encounters between the two groups in between. Beyond that, only the
music can say anything else.
 The low-key revolutionary thump of ‘Nothing Does Not Show’ and ‘Clock no Clock’ notwithstanding, ‘Totality’ charts impressive new launch angles from Natural Information Society and Bitchin Bajas’ improvisatory heart, with their careful listening and response time continually redefining the space in a relaxed manner that rewards deep zoners. Additionally, their blended corps assimilate marvellously on Abrams’ composition ‘Always 9 Seconds Away’. Here, and with the aforementioned groovers, the collective resonates beyond familiar Kraut / spiritual / minimal power lines, bringing new time conceptions to bear in the always-expansive space of this album event.

Tracklisting
Totality
Nothing Does Not Show
Always 9 Seconds Away
Clock no Clock