Halcyon Days
by Darren Bergstein, Muze
Two-thirds of seminal didj-fusion band Lights In A Fat City meet the master atmostechnician for a journey into soundworlds of corporeal adventure and probing ambiences. HALCYON DAYS, so-called because of the two-week period of prosperity and creativity reached when the birth of the legendary Alcyon offspring's spell is broken, finds Roach, Newby and Kent reaching into the very matter of their respective noisemakers (analog and digital electron machines, didjs, ocarinas, samplers, p'iri, bonang, and much more) to extract the inviting and invigorating rhythm equivalents of shamanistic snake-charmers, reptiles strolling in the underbrush, and the grand observations of nomads drinking deep of the expansive vistas of rock and sky surrounding them. Recorded during a particularly tranquil time in the rugged terrain of Tucson, the magnetism of HALYCON DAYS is almost narcotic, so hypnotic are Roach's teeming electronic curls and Newby & Kent's feral percussives. One of the somewhat overlooked recordings in the Roach canon, don't let HALCYON DAYS' mordant power pass you by.
by Darren Bergstein, Muze
Two-thirds of seminal didj-fusion band Lights In A Fat City meet the master atmostechnician for a journey into soundworlds of corporeal adventure and probing ambiences. HALCYON DAYS, so-called because of the two-week period of prosperity and creativity reached when the birth of the legendary Alcyon offspring's spell is broken, finds Roach, Newby and Kent reaching into the very matter of their respective noisemakers (analog and digital electron machines, didjs, ocarinas, samplers, p'iri, bonang, and much more) to extract the inviting and invigorating rhythm equivalents of shamanistic snake-charmers, reptiles strolling in the underbrush, and the grand observations of nomads drinking deep of the expansive vistas of rock and sky surrounding them. Recorded during a particularly tranquil time in the rugged terrain of Tucson, the magnetism of HALYCON DAYS is almost narcotic, so hypnotic are Roach's teeming electronic curls and Newby & Kent's feral percussives. One of the somewhat overlooked recordings in the Roach canon, don't let HALCYON DAYS' mordant power pass you by.
 
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Steve Roach, Stephen Kent, Kenneth Newby 1996 Hearts of Space 11072 (CD, Poster) Reviewed by Alternate Music Press, Asterism, Muze, Wired Steve joins in on a spirited super-session with didgeridoo master Stephen Kent and Indonesian and electron wizard Kenneth Newby. Created during the HALCYON DAYS of winter 1995, this recording can be compared to the Suspended Memories sessions, where the magic of the moment is sought after and captured on tape during the extensive 10-day marathon session in which the music was created. Kent and Newby of Trance Mission and Lights in a Fat City have played together for years. A visit to the Timeroom for the collaboration with Steve presented a unique chapter in their mutual pursuit of empowered music for the "Archaic Revival".
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