An intriguing piece of electro-acoustic multimedia art, the 2013 Delmark CD/DVD set
The Space Between finds
Rob Mazurek's
Exploding Star Electro Acoustic Ensemble pairing with videographer/choreographer
Marianne M. Kim for full immersion in deep sonics and video abstraction. The artists concern themselves with space -- space that defines entities, erases their dualities, and eliminates their separateness. Indra's Net, visualizing the Buddhist concept of interconnectedness, appears here as both the last track's title and as an overarching theme.
The Space Between is 40 minutes long, split into eight tracks of five minutes each, but the free-form music and video experience bleeds from one track to the next without demarcation; perhaps this is merely one way to obliterate "the space between." In any case, the piece begins comparatively sparsely and acoustically (the mechanical rhythm at the start ends after a minute), with the sounds of definable instruments echoing across space against the synth-like sequenced burbling of electronics and sampler.
Mazurek's cornet bursts and long notes are joined by interjections from other members of his
Exploding Star Orchestra --
Nicole Mitchell's flute,
Jeff Kowalkowski's piano -- and as the sound of his horn traverses the abyss and bounces back again,
The Space Between's concept and execution are well matched.