The Rest is Noise: Joshua Abrams’ Natural Information Society
Natural Information Society klinkt ongrijpbaar, tegelijk rustgevend en energiek. De band van Joshua Abrams combineert traditionele en elektrische instrumenten om vernieuwende muziek te maken en put daarbij uit onder meer het minimalisme, jazz en krautrock. Abrams maakt hierbij veel gebruik van de hypnotiserende tonen van de gimbri, het driesnarige bas- en percussie-instrument uit de West-Afrikaanse gnawa-muziek.
Joshua Abrams maakte korte tijd deel uit van de nu wereldberoemde hiphop-band The Roots, voordat hij van zijn geboortestad Philadelphia verhuisde naar Chicago. Daar werd hij contrabassist bij zeer diverse bandleiders, onder wie Nicole Mitchell, Fred Anderson en Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy. Hij vormde Town & Country met Matana Roberts en Chad Taylor (Chicago Underground) en sinds 2010 leidt hij National Information Society. De albums van de band scoorden hoog in de jaarlijsten van onder meer Pitchfork en The Wire.
‘It’s patient, layered music that’s always heading somewhere, sometimes spare and sometimes complex and shimmering’ (New York Times).
‘Simultonality advances Abrams and Natural Information Society’s signature sound, one that gets even more unique the further it grows and expands.’ (Pitchfork).
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Double bassist Joshua Abrams has developed himself as one of the most forward thinking composers and band leaders in Chicago.
Natural Information Society sounds intangible, simultaneously relaxing and energetic. The band led by Joshua Abrams combines traditional and electric instruments to create innovative music, drawing from minimalism, jazz, krautrock and more. Abrams regularly incorporates the hypnotic tones of the guimbri, the three-stringed bass and percussion instrument from West-African gnawa music.
Joshua Abrams began his career in the now world famous hip-hop band The Roots, before he moved from his native Philadelphia to Chicago, where he became an in-demand double bassist with band leaders as diverse as Nicole Mitchell, Fred Anderson and Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy. He formed Town & Country with Matana Roberts and Chad Taylor (Chicago Underground), and since 2010 he leads National Information Society. Albums by the band reached the top of the annual best-of-year lists of, among others, Pichfork and The Wire.
‘It’s patient, layered music that’s always heading somewhere, sometimes spare and sometimes complex and shimmering’ (**** New York Times).
‘Abrams discovers new levels of mood and tone’ (8,1 Pitchfork).