The Covid-19 pandemic restrictions forced musicians to adapt to new ways of communication and playing, involving long-distance conversations and sending tracks back and forth. American, Bay Area-based drummer Scott Amendola, known for his work with guitarist Nels Cline and Charlie Hunter, and American-Norwegian guitarist-producer Ed Pettersen, who admits that he admired the work of Amendola for years but never met him in person, suggest that we may call this kind of remote improvised conversation Covidsations.

«Velour Works Well on Neptune» is the first collaboration of Amendola and Pettersen, done in summer 2020, when Amendola recorded his parts at The Shinebox in Berkeley and Pettersen at Elk Dog Studio in Nashville, and later mixed the tracks. Amendola plays on drums, electronics Senegalese talking and percussion. Pettersen plays on 8 string lap steel, keyboards, and devices. The four pieces attempt to stick to the free-improvisation ethos despite the fact that both musicians were not in the same room. Amendola and Pettersen decided to not overdub their parts and simply exchanges tracks.

The opening «Flight Attempted» is an atmospheric drone with enigmatic, cinematic qualities. The following title-track still soars in the high and hazy stratosphere but the drumming and electronics of Amendola manage to ground it into some shaky and noisy ground. «Circa Tomorrow: Everlasting Orbit» attempts to meet some friendly and playful civilization far, far away but is lost in deep space. The last «Cosmoknots» is the most spirited and intense piece here, letting Amendola and his drums and percussion instrument take over while the processed lap steel guitar sounds of Pettersen adds subtle, ambient layers to the urgent and possessed drumming of Amendola.

Eyal Hareuveni 

Scott Amendola (dr, elec, Senegalese talking dr, percu), Ed Pettersen (8 string lap steel, keys, eff)