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“The most obvious road is almost always a fool’s road.” (william burroughs in the western lands)


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Review on Foxy Digitalis!

Tiago Sousa "The Western Lands"
Resting Bell

Released simultaneously as a cdr and a free mp3 release on netlabel Resting Bell, Tiago Sousa's "The Western Lands" is certainly an intriguing listen. The title will be familiar to anyone with a passing knowledge of William S. Burroughs, and the liners tell us that Sousa's music is "far more than an interpretation of Burrough's text". Titles aside, the inspiration and connection is clear, but not heavy handed. And while the results never quite yield the "musical cut ups" promised in the liners, there's no disappointment here. What we have instead is a lovely 40 minute collection of restrained compositions drawing on modern classical, folk, noise (albeit very gently) and ambient touchstones. The basic elements, electric guitar, piano, nylon stringed classical guitar, and some floating distortion, are woven together with confidence and purpose. There are points (such as the distorted guitar and melodic piano of the first track) where seemingly disparate voices are placed together, vying for the listener's focus and creating a nice tension. More often than not however, this tension is suggested and flirted with, rather than drawn out and made obvious. There's something very restrained and subtle about Tiago's work which lends it a serious character. Nothing stays too long, and one gets the sense Sousa has a strong interest in quality control and dedication to his aesthetic. As with the best music of this type, it carries itself with a sort of grace and maturity. There's not a whole lot of sonic grit here, and some may find its beauty a bit too pristine. But there's always something to be said for skilled musicianship and lovely composition. Think of it as a nice antidote to the drones and dissonance so common in experimental music today. 7/10 -- Eric Hardiman (20 May, 2008)

http://www.digitalisindustries.com/foxyd/reviews.php?which=3427


Review no Ipslon

Improviso a partir de Burroughs

Tiago Sousa
The Western Lands
Resting Bell
3,5/5

Em 2006, recebeu um piano de presente. Em poucas semanas transformou a intimidade que ganhou com o instrumento, aquele instrumento preciso, em "Crepúsculo", magniífico álbum de melancolias nocturnas imiscuindose entre o ruído nas ruas - havia pessoas e o som de pessoas a entrar pelas lentas e tocantes melodias de Tiago Sousa e o seu piano. "The Western Lands", que nos chega dois anos depois e que podem ouvir ou encomendar em www.restingbell.net, não vive no mesmo abandono descomprometido. O título aponta para o livro de William Burroughs publicadoem 1987, considerado uma das suas mais importantes obras tardias. As "western lands" de Burroughs eram as margens ocidentais do Nilo, a terra dos mortos na mitologia do antigo Egipto. Tiago Sousa que acrescenta ao piano a guitarra, utiliza esse imagináiro como ponto de partida - tal como acontecia, de resto, com a narrativa fragmentada de Burroughs. Nestes sete instrumentais, nestes sete improvisos cuidadosa e gentilmente orquestrados, fundem-se harmonias e dissonâncias, descombre-se a sensibilidade acústica e a divagação eléctrica como faces da mesma moeda. Melhor que isso, porém, a forma como tais dinâmicas servem uma evidente ideia de viagem, vogar misterioso que nunca desvenda totalmente os pontos de paragem. A início, os ruídos em fundo suscitam hipnose magrebina e levam-nos a imaginar o zumbido das rhaitas dos Master Musicians of Jajouka. A início, quando aos ruídos se junta a guitarra, quando à guitarra se junta o lamento do piano já galgámos o Mediterrâneo - continuamos em cidade portuária mas na Europa. Tudo em "The Western Lands" se faz destes movimentos de fuga e regresso. O trabalho sobre ruído eléctrico, nuvem ameaçadora por trás do qual irrompe um dedilhado de bucolismo folk. Guitarras eléctricas e acústicas reunindo-se em turbilhões sibilantes e um piano a escapar-se do caos para inventar canções de marinheiros que os marinheiros desconhecem. No fim, o completar do círculo. Regressamos às "Western Lands". Transformados pela viagem, não ouvimos naquele zumbido nem rhaitas nem o Magrebe. Tiago Sousa tomou-lhes o lugar.
Mário Lopes
Ipslon
30 de Maio de 2008



Tiago Sousa
Tiago Sousa is establishing himself as one of the most exciting Portuguese composers of the new generation of non-standard musicians. After releasing Crepúsculo (Merzbau, CD-R) in 2006 and Noite/Nuit (Merzbau, Online) in 2007, he now offers us the outstanding The Western Lands (Resting Bell, CD-R/Online), a record based on the homonymous book by one of the greatest literary genius of the 20th century, William S. Burroughs. Featured by the Portuguese press in publications like the cultural supplement Ípsilon, TimeOut Lisbon magazine, and webzine Bodyspace, he has also captured the attention of one of the most important international webzines connected with the experimental and independent music Foxydigitalis. Recently he had the honor of being opening act for Vic Chestnutt and Shannon Wright in Lisbon, who has worked with Yann Tiersen and Rachel's. Tiago's music is an exceptional mixture of names so different as Erik Satie, Terry Riley, Carlos Paredes or Rachel's, markedly instrumental and minimalist, that uses the piano as a basilar stone.
merzbau-label.org/tiagosousa
www.virb.com/tiagosousa




Folha Caduca @ ZDB from Tiago Sousa on Vimeo.


Barcelona, Heliogàbal


tiago sousa from vmarmelo on Vimeo.


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