Charlemagne Palestine – Godbear (Barooni)

Caution: you should only read this review (and contemplating buying Godbear) if you regularly visit the outer limits and are open to the world of extreme possibilities. Coming out of the Netherlands' Barooni Records, this is one of the most enticing packages of the fortnight: a re-evaluation of Palestine's work from the seventies, which was recorded in the late eighties and finally released in the late nineties. But who on earth is Charlemagne Palestine? Well if the names La Monte Young, Philip Glass or Steve Reich ring any bells, read on. Along with those, Palestine was one of the originators of minimal music, an unplanned, escapist force that pre-dated ambient, unwittingly shaped techno and quietly oversaw everything that has happened since. The minimalists may be heald in high regard in left-field classical circles, but after all it was Glass that worked with S'Express and La Monte Young that challenged the boundaries of jazz before this whole contemporary dance thing started. And now there's Palestine, whose three pieces on this CD are performed purely on his fist love - the Bosendorfer Imperial Grand piano - and are dedicated to his other great passion, teddy bears. But minimalist only means a minimal regards for tradition as there is little time to chill out during the three lengthy pieces here - 'The Lower Depths', Strumming Music' and 'Timbral Assault'. Check this out if you dare. 8/10