Mette Rasmussen and Pak Yan Lau Traditional Noise LP

Cat. No. HOL-127
300 copies, black vinyl

A collaboration between two up and coming stars of experimental music – Mette Rasmussen and Pak Yan Lau – offering glimpses of probable futures of improvisation.

Mette Rasmussen is a Danish saxophone player based in Trondheim, Norway, who first gained attention as a member of Trio Riot, before increasingly branching out as solo artist, working with the likes of Alan Silva, Chris Corsano, Fire! Orchestra, Tashi Dorji, and Ken Vandermark. Drawing from a wide range of influences, from free jazz to textural soundwork, Rasmussen’s practice delves into the exploration of the natural rawness of her instrument and its capacity for expression, with and without preparations.

Based in Brussels, Pak Yan Lau is a sound artist, improviser, musician, and composer. Over the last decade, she has developed her own singular sonic universe blending acoustic, electro-acoustic and electronic approaches and working both as a vocalist, as well as with prepared pianos, toy pianos, synths, electronics and various sound objects across a number of solo efforts, in addition to live and recorded collaborations with Chris Corsano, Akira Sakata, Tatsuhisa Yamamoto, Tetuzi Akiyama, Rie Nakajima, and Darin Gray.

Recorded in Antwerp during late 2017, “Traditional Noise” features Rasmussen on alto sax, preparations, objects, voice, and Lau on toy pianos, synth, sampler, modified wok, typatune, and electronics, locked in an evolving, conversant sound expanse that pointedly avoids the explicitly musical as the two artists bristle against each other, delivering textural and tonal interventions defined by careful restrain and space.

Cover drawing by Virginia Genta.