Alex Roth opens up with MultiTraction Orchestra video premiere of ‘emerge entangled’
Mike Flynn
Thursday, April 30, 2020
A powerful new piece of music has been recorded in response to the Covid-19 crisis, with performances by 27 musicians from eight different countries
Guitarist Alex Roth – known for his work with Alice Zawadzki, Blue-Eyed Hawk and many others – is the mastermind behind the MultiTraction Orchestra – a multifaceted group of musicians from around world who’ve created a powerful composition in lockdown, ‘emerge entangled’. Meticulously constructed from improvisations recorded in response to a single stimulus track made available online via an open call, the immersive and intense track features 27 musicians in eight different countries, including UK-based improvisers Tom Ward, Raph Clarkson, Joy Ellis, Kieran McLeod, Andrew Woodhead, Rosanna Ter-Berg, Huw V Williams and Jon Scott. The track will be released independently on Friday 1 May to coincide with Bandcamp's show of support for artists as they waive their percentage of all sales via the platform – the previous day in April resulted in sales of music and merchandise of $4.3million.
Roth describes the music: “I think the emotional fluctuations many of us are experiencing in connection with the pandemic are reflected in the changing landscape of the track. The structure of the piece really evolved in response to the recordings people sent in, through a process of trying to imagine which instruments and textures would work well together, so there was a sense of seeking order in a potentially chaotic musical environment. I think that's something everyone can relate to right now.”
The track will be released independently on Bandcamp Friday 1 May – the day when Bandcamp will waive their fee to help support artists at this difficult time and will be available via alexrothmusic.bandcamp.com/