Ted Byrnes – Moving My Body Through Space CD

Recognized as a skilled and sought after collaborator, Ted Byrnes solo albums cast a wide net that capture Byrnes’ adventurous and omnivorous approach to solo percussion. An alumnus of Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, Byrnes has made his home in the center of a Venn diagram that includes free improvisation, studied electro-acoustic work, fearless new music and harsh noise. Recognizing the porous borders between these modes, Byrnes’ work on Moving My Body Through Space is a flailing meditation on the concept of space in his work. Space appears as pregnant, timbre-filled liminal spaces in “Spin” or filled to the absolute brim like the corona around an eclipse on the full-kit workout on “Metal”. Objects are manipulated, struck and shaken to explore every potential sound on “As If a Friend” – a masterwork in close, fully immersive recording.

Hearing the dynamic range that Byrnes brings to this collection of songs it’s easy to see why Byrnes is a sought after collaborator. Byrnes work has gained near-mainstream notoriety with his contributions to the clipping. record Visions of Bodies Being Burned, a trio with John Dwyer (Thee Oh Sees) and Greg Coates and the remarkable album Okovi by Zola Jesus – albums noted by both remarkable restraint and Byrnes’ tremendous physicality. Byrnes has counted Lingua Ignota, John Wiese, Jeff Parker, Chris Cooper (AQH), Charlie Mumma, Sam McKinlay, William Hutson, Jacob Wick and Michael Foster, among others as collaborators or duo partners.

Additionally, Ted has played in duo/trio/or ensemble settings with: Mazen Kerbaj, Matt Weston, Ingebrigt Haker Flaten, Charlemagne Palestine, Alfred 23 Harth, Arrington de Dionyso, Jaap Blonk, Torsten Muller, Kim Myhr, Jim Denley, Lloyd Honeybrook, Chris Schlarb, Mike Watt, Paul Masvidal, the LAFMS (including Smegma, Airway, Ace Farren Ford’s Artificial Art Ensemble, Rick and Joe Potts, Fredrik Nilsen, Tom Recchion, Vetza, etc), Sissy Spacek (the band) and the legendary Maher Shalal Hash Baz.

Released on Cincinnati’s Arkeen label run by Torn Light / Fantastique HQ owner Alex York, Ted Byrnes work as a solo artist of terrifying dexterity and focus is on full display with Moving My Body Through Space.