Segue to Infinity
packages
Laraaji
's 1978 debut album,
Celestial Vibration
, with three LPs of previously unheard recordings from the same time period; up until the release of this box set, these pieces only existed as unheard acetates. Establishing the sound of his studio albums by draping his drifting yet rhythmic zither playing in swirling electronic effects,
remains a deeply inspired and immersive work. The other pieces are similarly excellent, and a bit more exploratory, painting a more complete portrait of
's early sound. "Ocean" is a graceful, shimmering sound bath that flows from moments of near stillness to rich tonal swells, along with a slightly jarring moment of controlled feedback. The three pieces for kalimba sound a bit raw and murky, clearly less polished than the pieces on
, but that just makes them feel more like distant memories, and the recording highlights the trickling rhythms as well as the drifting textures. "Segue to Infinity" is surely the most new age-sounding piece here due to its wisping flute, while its calmly trippy levitating effects add a more psychedelic dimension. ~ Paul Simpson