«Tennis of All Kinds» is the Berlin-based experimental duo of Australian guitarist Julia Reidy, member of the Splitter Orchester and a collaborator of Violinist Jon Rose, and Danish double bass player Adam Pultz Melbye, member of the free improvising trios Flamingo and Jitter. The duo self-titled debut release was recorded on Reidy’s room on July 2016 by fellow guitarist Olaf Rupp and is a very limited-edition of of 70 cassette tapes with an option to download.

«Tennis of All Kinds» captures Reidy and Pultz Melbye varied dynamics, different musical games of all kinds, investigating the string instruments timbral spectrum, collaborative tension building and exploring the the reverberating qualities of the recording space. On «Milk and Sugar» Reidy and Pultz Melbye offer resonating strings clusters that keep colliding and moving in the small recording space, patiently morphing the density of this kind of resonating collisions. «Hush Now» contrasts the subtle overtones created by restrained strumming of the 11-string guitar and similar bowing of double bass strings, slowly intensifying the meditative effect of this highly disciplined kind of playing. The longest piece, the 20-minutes of «Such fair features» is the most dynamic piece, enabling both Reidy and Pultz Melbye to explore a more complex and multi-layered textures through repetitive gestures with minimalist shifts and methodical tension building.

Quite an invigorating musical match, with many kinds of arresting dynamics.

Eyal Hareuveni

Julia Reidy (11-string guitar); Adam Pultz Melbye (b)