VALENTINA GONCHAROVA Schallplatten & CDs

Review: The visionary work of avant-garde violin player Valentina Goncharova has recently come into focus thanks to two volumes of recordings presented on Ukrainian label Muscut. Those snapshots felt like a window into what must be a vast pool of work she carried out during her most prolific years, and this release on Hidden Harmony speaks to that. Recorded in 1988 by Goncharova with her sometime collaborator I. Zubkov, this suite of 10 parts embarked upon extensive experiments into recording processes and studio techniques, and the results speak for themselves. From Goncharova's angular playing style to the tapestry of electronic interference woven around, this is remarkable, experimental but also wholly engaging work finally unearthed for a broader audience.

Review: You may not be familiar with avant-garde composer Valentina Goncharova, but this incredible collection of rare home recordings is enough to answer any questions you might have as to how mind-blowing her work is. The sort of artist who needs to flee the Leningrad Conservatoire in order to have the space and freedom to fully explore ideas. Combining elements of musique concrete, drone, ambient and a kind of lo-fi classical, this is an expression of place - sanctuary of the home - and its ability to offer protection from creative oppressors. Using vocal mantras, curious refrains, amplified and distorted strings (cello in particular), you really get a sense of not only the where but the how behind these arrangements. Hushed but dense, they draw the listener in with surprising speed, so before you know it you're right there in that domestic studio watching a genius at work.