Koen Holtkamp - Slow Fox Run (Western Vinyl) [Jazz]
- The Slow Music Movement
- 9 hours ago
- 2 min read
Guitar-favouring composer and multi-instrumentalist Koen Holtkamp cut his teeth at the Art Institute of Chicago where he founded his own label, apestaartje, to release his first recordings. He's been floating around the intersection of mind-expanding, textured electroacoustic music ever since, including a series of well-received albums for the ever-reliable Thrill Jockey label. In recent times, like quite a few New York musicians, he swapped New York for the Hudson Valley - which must be a hive of creativity these days, and I'm sure the slower pace of life is a perfect fit for his ethereally minded approach to musical creation.
He's also got a new album - Nightlife, on the way on via the TSMM-approved Western Vinyl label, that will be dropping on October 9th. "Slow Fox Run" is the first taster for the main dish, and I for one, have just loosened my belt.
On "Slow Fox Run" he's called in a couple of mates to help him out with Greg Fox pulling up the drummer's stool and wind consultant Matt Bauder joining them to add some gentle, spiritually attuned sax that floats over Fox's thoughtful, guiding percussion. Holtkamp wisely sits back, content with swaddling the pair in a faintly glowing cosmic ambience, whilst accentuating the spiritual jazz air with some Far East evoking string plucking; the sounds apparently built from his modular system using physical modelling, enabling him to focus on his machines. It's a simple, beautifully balanced spiritual jazz meditation, where less is more, ego was left at the door and which promises a long player that I'm sure will be worth the eight-week wait.
Playlist Companion
Find Hofkamp in the Slow Jazz Playlist.
