The learning process is just as much an act of healing as betterment. The enabling of solutions through sheer willpower and openness to discovery, or a noble mission, never completed. In that spirit, the latest album by Berlin-based Slovak duo Päfgens – comprising Jana Drábeková Kočišová and Filip Drábek – represents a pensive development for the project.
Drifting from their lo-fi shoegaze beginnings, Päfgens drone-infused soundscapes have become increasingly immersive and expressive “framed improvisations,” where spontaneous passages are captured, then revisited with fresh layers upon layers over the course of months, breathing and evolving naturally, mirroring the unpredictability of nature. Songforms have all but melted away, with ethereal guitars and bass nestling up against field-recorded sounds, synth beds, percussion, and singing bowl tones.
The framed improvisation on ‘Aspect of What’ explores love and loss, relishing both the joy and melancholy of paying tribute to Filip’s late ethnologist grandmother, Božena Filová (1926-2020). Her voice opens track 2, ‘Particles’, speaking of the humble desire to “help the people in the rural environment”, and the goal of “uplifting people to better living through education”. The album’s emotionally charged approach to improvisation is suitably uplifting and seemingly made without ego, the couple melting away into the flitting wall of rustling drones and heavenly fuzz. Even at their most serrated (the groaning guitar amp squall underpinning ‘Journey’) or when surrounded by chiming bells, clocks and bowls (‘Around the Clock’), Päfgens is ready to listen, rest, learn, and improve, extracting and nurturing hidden abstract emotion in every piece, plundering something universal and teachable from very personal depths.
Recorded in Berlin - Moabit between February and August 2023
Jana: guitar, tongue drum, synths, vocals, singing bowl, field recordings
Filip: bass, kastle drum, guitar, field recordings
My father was affected by the mission, that we should help the people in the rural environment. For him, the goal was uplifting people to better living through education. He was saying, they are the salt of the earth.
Božena Filová in “Particles”
Thanks to Jakub Juhás for pushing us into the right direction, Martin Krajčír, Ján Solčáni, Figuško, our families and Pad Thai
supported by 15 fans who also own “Aspect Of What”
This music Marta created, holds stillness and space just as much as it holds notes and chords, and it is in those spaces between notes that captured my attention so much. This music requires some patience and is for everyone, but I find it gorgeous. Especially when everything finally comes together on the last track, "music" with a choirs wordless vocals taking the chord changes and melody all the way to the climactic ending. Joe Borreson
supported by 14 fans who also own “Aspect Of What”
immerse first
then inhale as much as you can,
Hold it without
intention
just let it sit
crackling under your feet
straighten your back. Look around you. And ask yourself, Who are you?
and take a deep breathe
end
then,
say Nothing.
Let the Actions Speak
(BELLS)
Calling all words!
You must go away now.
Go away from the day. Be Gone
with the Sun
-
nothing tells me
what is coming
next?
(pause)
do what you need to do.
to embrace the truth of
who you are>>
magoski
Official debut of French solo artist Richard Francés. Sci-fi influenced synth work, recalling pioneers like Tangerine Dream and Terry Riley. Bandcamp New & Notable Feb 7, 2017