Live music has become such a large part of what I do at WFMU, and I'm continually honored by the wealth of talented artists that seek out the show and want to perform on it, even and especially since the program's shift to late nights last June. Lots of people still want to play, many of them live.
On the 4th of February, I was happy to welcome Kyle Clyde to the show, after enjoying her two CDrs and lathe-cut 7" split with Isa Christ, these and one very brief but compelling live performance.
On that performance, Kyle had a motorized toy part precariously balanced on what I remember to be a jagged piece of plastic board; it was all somehow moving and generating sound, and it sounded terrific. Suddenly, a drunken heckler wandered into Division of Human Works, and was attempting to confront Kyle, mid-performance, on some conflict that was occurring only within his own sloshy mentality. All at once, the sound stopped, and Kyle looked up, her board balanced into her hip, bangs in her eyes, all sheepdog awareness. She took the guy in visually, and back to business.
These two sets are similar to her releases, and yet they aren't, as each piece Kyle does is really unique to itself and true to its own sonic intelligence.
These sets are very "jazzy," to my ears at least; as I was experiencing them live, I involuntarily weaved like I was riding out an Ornette solo. As far as I know, Kyle is improvising, on gear altered to her own specs, though I also believe each piece to have a general idea that's employed, preconceived by Kyle, as far as what she'll use, and in what order. Maybe I'm wrong. Either way, it's timeless improvised electronic music, and I'm proud to present it for you here.
Kyle Clyde - "Industrial Park"
Kyle Clyde - "AMBC"
The second set, "AMBC," is especially generous upon repeated listens.
Thanks to Kyle, Dylan, Bob Bellerue for engineering sound, and to Tracy Widdess of Brutal Knitting for stomping my photograph.
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