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Davis' Electric Echo: White & Holley's Sonic Gamble
30 Oct
Summary
- Album boldly improvises, mirroring Miles Davis' 1970s electric era.
- Matthew E. White and Lonnie Holley create unique musical chemistry.
- Album embraces risk-taking, blending genres for a fresh sound.
Matthew E. White, founder of Spacebomb Records, and Alabama sculptor Lonnie Holley have released 'Broken Mirror: A Selfie Reflection,' an album inspired by Miles Davis' electric period. This project emerged in 2018 when White aimed to break songwriting habits, leading his septet into improvisational sessions echoing Davis' 1970s fusion. Holley's addition of freeform vocals injected further unpredictability into the dense, percussive, and driving soundscape.
The album's improvisational spirit and dense musicality draw direct comparisons to Davis' 1970 masterpiece, 'Bitches Brew.' It requires a recalibration of the listener's musical expectations, existing between rich musicality and a rejection of traditional song structures. Holley's vocals, recorded in first takes, powerfully emote life experiences, balancing gravity and wonder, creating a spiraling, voodoo funk that shifts between gritty and astral textures.
Tracks like "This Here Jungle of Moderness/Composition 14" capture urban sensory overload, while "I'm Not Tripping/Composition 8" evolves from light synth lines to a chaotic reflection on technology. Despite a minor stumble with the title track's lyrics, the album stands as a testament to risk-taking and improbable fusion. Holley's distinctive charm allows 'Broken Mirror' to forge something genuinely new, stepping out from Davis' considerable shadow.
