Singing Stones (2.09, Fangbomb)
For: Machinefabriek, Sigur Ros, Amplifier Machine
Listening to Jasper, TX for the first time was a singular experience I had at a record store. 3 years ago I was perusing a local record store and met an employee who had similar musical tastes. We started chatting about musicians we found fascinating and then he paused, looked around, and whispered in a hushed tone..."Have you heard of Jasper, TX". I replied I hadn't and he took me over to his computer where he had I'll Be Long Gone Before My Light Reaches You streaming on his computer. I was entranced immediately, however, I was a fool not to special order it then and there. I tried several times after that to find Jasper TX in record stores across SLC but no avail. It wasn't until I read a glowing review of Black Sleep in Forest Gospel that I put my foot down and special ordered it, needless to say that it was a decision I will never regret. That brings me to 2009's Singing Stones (which I procured via a UK based music distribution site boomkat). I will do you all the favor of introducing you to Mr. Dag Rosenqvist, aka Jasper, TX. Singing Stones is filled to the brim with a shimmering pastoral beauty that Jasper TX has always hinted at and littered his ambient recordings with but never fully disclosed. There was always an ominous edge to his music. Now, Beautifully developed sound scapes of tape hiss and ambient electronic buzzing set the back drop for layers of restrained instrumentation. Looping guitar lines, electronic manipulation, hushed strings, occasional woodwinds, ambient field recordings and an aural sense of awe are now completely unhidden, as if Rosenqvist is finally coming clean with all of us there is so much beauty in the world, we just have to listen through the tape hiss to find it. Highly, highly, recommended.
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