Diatribes is the Genève-based experimental duo of vibes player Cyril Bondi and electronics player d’incise (aka Laurent Peter) that has been working together since 2004. The duo focuses on «exploration of simplification and rational rituality, tied by strict sonic or structural principles, highly detailed textures, repeated gestures, soft tones, febrile pulses and acoustic hyper-sensibility».
«L’apport» (The contribution) revisits Diatribes’ concept of a duo plus guest, a concept supposedly exhausted during the duo’s early «improvised period». Diatribes established a score as a tool, a working space, for collectively rewriting the music, through the contribution of the guest improvisers, their technique, their aesthetic, and the proposal of a melodic material of their choice. Former guests in this project were French hurdy and bagpipe player, Lise Barkas, and Swiss cellist Stefan Thut. The future installment of this project will feature French experimental sax player Jean-Luc Guionnet and the INSUB.7tet, which will conclude the series. Each installment in this series attempts to challenge Diatribes and their guests, cause discomfort, disrupt established habits, and push the music into its most intriguing territory.
French experimental violinist Clara Levy chose a medieval Sephardic song, «Ke ya me transí» (I’ve Already Left), for the third installment in this series. This 40-minute minimalist, sparse, and melancholic piece flirts with a drone-like texture, as if Levy intended to resurrect the ghostly remains of this old song. Levy’s openly emotional and lyrical playing captures the essence of this mournful, vulnerable piece. d’incise’s subtle electronics echo, extend, and often distort Levy’s violin palette, while Bondi’s soft and spacious vibes add more volume to her fragile timbres. Both D’Incise and Bondi respect Levy’s introspective choices, adding delicate, intriguing contributions to this haunting song.
Eyal Hareuveni
Cyril Bondi (vibraphone), d’incise (electronics), Clara Levy (violin)
