Credits:

Matthew Bourne

Description:

Composer and keyboard player Matthew Bourne improvised the seven pieces on the brief Irrealis in a single session at his home, with no overdubs or post-production. He was working on a film soundtrack, and spent a considerable amount of time preparing a piano, placing objects such as nuts and bolts in between the strings in order to radically alter the sounds of the notes as the keys are struck. In a fit of inspiration, he started recording his improvisations on the prepared instrument. On some of the pieces, such as opener “Shri,” he sounds curious, delicately exploring the instrument and becoming familiar with the sounds it produces. Once it feels like hes internalized the sequence of sounds and he feels comfortable, he starts testing the limits and making more outlandish music. “Dusan” is fairly melodic, if a bit scattered, but it ends with a note that seems stuck in place as if a machine i