Curia - s/t

Late last year, I received a slew of releases from Fire Museum Records, a relatively young label from Philadelphia, for whom I've done a few reviews in the past. The first that I've finally gotten to is the self-titled debut from the group Curia. The album was also released overseas by the label Ruby Red. This group two guitarists an organist and a drummer, a very typical set-up that fails to reflect the sound the group produces. The album is divided into four tracks that comprise one long improvisation.

At times I am skeptical of improvised experimental projects, simply because they seem to be able to get away with calling anything they can capture on a microphone music. However, upon listening to this album, I was pleasantly surprised by how focused the group was in the execution of a unified musical vision. The improvisation relies heavily on spatial and atmospheric aspects of playing, creating a broad, sparse sound world that the musicians explore throughout the duration. This album has some unique sounds in it and is a great listen for fans of ambient and experimental improvisation. This group has found their sound and their niche, and has the ability to take their music as far as they want in the future, as long as the focus and unity stays intact.

9.0/10 more information and ordering at www.museumfire.com