Chants Kinetic Vol.1

by Simon Barker - drums

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	1.	Body, Sticks and Floor 08:04		buy track
	2.	Road To Foot and Floor To Hand 08:16		buy track

about

Simon Barker - drums

Recorded by Richard Belkner at Rancom Studios
Assisted by Dom Corso
Mixed by Richard Belkner at Free Energy Device
Mastered by Michael Lynch

Cover pic: taken whilst running the loop from Maroubra to Bondi

Over the past 25 years I’ve been fascinated by different forms of vocal or drum chant. When I practice the drums, I only play on the floor and mostly play a small selection of shapes or cells that I've created as chants for many months to see what can be learnt, discovered or explored in each one. Over time, each chant evolves into a completely new set of shapes that then become the next period's material for exploration.

I love documenting drumming explorations, improvisations and ideas but, for some reason, I've resisted recording in a way that resembles how I love to play on the floor, so I thought it was finally time to record in a much more chant-focused way.

This recording is the first in a series of releases that feature improvisations around shapes I like to explore as chants on the floor. The setup has no bass drum (just a high hat) so all the tones, except for the high hat, are played with drumsticks. I like the feeling of generating the effect of two separate lines within each chant through unison strokes, oscillating lead hand and different types of ornamental strokes. As I only practice on the floor, the first time I hear these chants on the drumset is in the studio whilst recording. Also, recording is the first time that I experience moving my body (around the drums) whilst playing them as the floor is a more static spatial context.

The two chants heard on this recording were created in mid-late 2022 and both have been great sources of learning on the floor over the past year. The titles refer to an ongoing relational question about barefoot running being a kinetic experience/focusing that is regulated almost entirely by the ground underfoot, and drumming on the floor being a kinetic experience/focusing regulated by the floor/ground. The two experiences are, to me, intertwined, and both offer a kind of "ground as teacher" learning opportunity.

Special thanks to the University of Sydney/Sydney Conservatorium of Music
If you're interested in finding out more please get in touch
Simon

credits

released October 14, 2023

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about

Simon Barker Sydney, Australia

I'm a drummer and I like documenting drumming experiments and explorations. To find out more please visit my website:
simonbarker.com.au
For more high/low drum chants visit:
chantcoils.bandcamp.com

simonbarker.com.au

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