Steven R. Smith | the submersible dirigible

Blood is a hot, sweet, temperate, red humour, prepared in the meserais veins, and made of the most temperate parts of the chylus in the liver, whose office is to nourish the whole body, to give it strength and colour, being dispersed by the veins through every part of it. And from it spirits are first begotten in the heart, which afterwards by the arteries are communicated to the other parts.

Music a remedy.… Faventinus are almost immoderate in the commendation of it; a most forcible medicine Jacchinus calls it: Jason Pratensis, “a most admirable thing, and worthy of consideration, that can so mollify the mind, and stay those tempestuous affections of it.” Musica est mentis medicina mœstæ, a roaring-meg against melancholy, to rear and revive the languishing soul; “affecting not only the ears, but the very arteries, the vital and animal spirits, it erects the mind, and makes it nimble.” Lemnius, instit, cap. 44.

…besides that excellent power it hath to expel many other diseases, it is a sovereign remedy against despair and melancholy, and will drive away the devil himself… Many men are melancholy by hearing music, but it is a pleasing melancholy that it causeth; and therefore to such as are discontent, in woe, fear, sorrow, or dejected, it is a most present remedy: it expels cares, alters their grieved minds, and easeth in an instant. Otherwise, saith Plutarch, Musica magis dementat quam vinum; music makes some men mad as a tiger; like Astolphos’ horn in Ariosto; or Mercury’s golden wand in Homer, that made some wake, others sleep, it hath divers effects: and Theophrastus right well prophesied, that diseases were either procured by music, or mitigated.

The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621) — Robert Burton (1577-1640)

feat. Ilya E. Monosov, Valerio Cosi, James Blackshaw, Black Twig Pickers, Yo La Tengo, Burning Star Core, Steven R. Smith, & Tape

tracklist

sanguine [40:58m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (10)

Brian Turner broadcast a short eight minute Ignatz live session last week, recorded in the WFMU studios. Tragically, I missed Ignatz playing live just last weekend in NYC. Celebrate Psi’s Ignatz release, I Will Soothe My Eye To Feast It With A Sight of Beauty, is a favorite of mine. Last year’s Quiet as Mice, though I haven’t been able to enjoy is as thoroughly, was certainly a highlight of 2007. Turner’s fellow WFMU dj Fabio (my favorite at the station) even selected the cassette release for his year-end best-of list.

Oddly enough, this FMU performance sounds unlike most of what I’ve heard from Ignatz. Last year’s album, II, released on Kraak, is the best example of the sound Bram Devens developed for Ignatz (stream II & Ignatz @ last.fm). Steven R. Smith and Stefan Neville/Pumice obsessives like myself likely found themselves instantly enamored with the dingy lo-fi Ignatz ditties. This latest recording, completely instrumental, sounds to be a bit of a departure. The long, speculative drone piece sounds more like a Peter Wright recording than what I expect from Ignatz. Devens’ rubbery lo-fi vocals were always a highlight of his work, but are completely absent on this FMU session.

Of course, there’s no better place to experiment and modify your sound than on the road and during radio live sessions. Svarte Greiner, Elegi and Peter Wright are the best comparisons to this live recording I can conjure at the moment. Ambient leanings, and creepy atmospherics could be an exciting addition to Devens formula. I look forward to seeing whether his experimentation here is featured on a future proper release.