The Glass Duo "Tocatta and Fugue in D minor"

I’d like to take a moment and hipster out as I present this next group, called “The Glass Duo,” because I’m fairly certain you haven’t heard of them. BUT GUYS, I’M TELLING YOU THEY ARE THE COOLEST THING I’VE HEARD IN A LONG TIME. The Glass Duo consists of two players, Anna and Arkadiusz Szafraniec, who started out playing violin and trumpet and now play glass harp. What is a glass harp, you ask? It’s an arrangement of glasses, much like your average water glasses, that are sized so that when they’re touched, they sound a specific tone. The Szafraniecs are the only glass harp musicians in Poland and one of very few glass harp groups worldwide. They tour music festivals around the world (though mostly in Europe) showing off their mad skillz.

The ease and grace with which The Glass Duo performs is astounding. I was stunned the first time I heard them and have a playlist of their recordings on YouTube bookmarked (also I’m attaching that link to this post). The fact that they can achieve such a high level of performance and expression with glasses is just incredible and, quite honestly, jaw dropping. I can pretty much promise you that you’ve never heard a sound like this before; it’s ethereal and strangely beautiful, a similar sound to the glockenspiel, but lighter and more fragile. It makes me think of sugar being spun or frost climbing a window, which I am aware is cliché as hell (I’m an English major for goodness sake), but you’ll understand when you listen.

I’m attaching their cover of J. S. Bach’s “Tocata and Fugue in D minor” because the piece is pretty complicated for organ-much less two people and a table full of cups- but they nail it and give it a whole new sound! I know that I certainly don’t have the coordination or dexterity to play something like this, with so many cups, with another person, without breaking something Definitely take a look; watching them play is half of the magic and intrigue..

Happy Listening!

Hanae

▶ J.S. Bach - Toccata and Fugue in D, glass organ (part 2/2) - YouTube

Nujabes

Life can get overwhelming.

Some of us have been afforded a beautiful opportunity to go to school, work, and hopefully make something meaningful out of this time left to us, but it's a daunting task. Every day is a barrage of images, sounds, emotions. There's so much to enjoy, so much to remember, so much to do. This dizzying fuzz builds up in the back of your head when your brain can't quite make sense of what's happening and if you're not careful, things can start to lose their meaning. Thankfully, every once in awhile, an artist arrives to help alleviate the pressure. Music can serve a million purposes, and the one that Nujabes serves with his music is as essential to human survival today as long walks in the park, cuddling, and sunbathing. 

None of those things are essential?

Then they're a luxury that us fortunate living creatures should really consider indulging in more. When a song like "Feather" plays, that fuzz pours out the back of your head and dissipates completely. Pupils dilate and clarity returns just long enough to fall in love with the sounds and colors so expertly crafted into a Nujabes song. And when the song becomes familiar, so do the brilliant shades of blue and the warm browns and reds.

His music takes the sensory overload and arranges it into something meaningful.

But decorative language aside, Nujabes is an artist that speaks through his beats in a way that is really worth paying attention to, especially considering that most songs are little more than a single repeated phrase. It's not a complicated formula -- a tonal piano melody, a jazzy drum beat, a trumpet or saxophone, some vocal features here and there -- but Nujabes manages to take that system and turn it into something alive and moving and soothing. It's impossible to put into words exactly how it feels to immerse yourself in the Japanese producer/DJ's works, and yet I thought I would give it a shot. Nujabes doesn't ever try to overwhelm in his beats. He keeps it simple and easy to remember. One good hook is all it takes to keep things locked in your head and from there, layers of atmospheric effects help to bring the beat to life.

Rather than recommend a single album or song, I suggest you look around for something that you love. "Aruarian Dance," "Feather," and any of the "Luv Sic" tracks are good starting points. If you're looking for an album, Modal Soul is a strong place to begin. Tragically, Nujabes lost his life in a car accident in early 2010, but what he left behind is a lifetime of beautiful work -- an autobiography of beats, and a discography of music that urges listeners to feel and react. 

Check out "Feathers" by Nujabes --

Enjoy. 

- Kane