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Morgan Caney and Kamal Joory, "Magic Radios"
Originally released in September 2002, Magic Radios is the documented collaboration between experimental jazz musician Morgan Caney and electronic-based composer Kamal Joory, showcasing an interesting blend of both their backgrounds for nine compositions and a remix.
The squeaks and subtle pops implying the rhythm on the opener "Blanket" become slightly more musical in context with the addition of distant keyboard drones and a repeating warm, cheerful bass line that doesn't grow tiresome. The layering of reverbed machine samba rhythms and sounds on "3,000 Miles" are the anchor for a smokey horn section motif to cycle through while lower register flute melodies pop in and out. The processed, Brazilian-flavored guitar, bass end and soaring violin on "Crispy Leaves Underfoot" moves into a very full composition with the layering of keyboards paired with long-lined melodies, all held together with a steady, hiphop-tinged beat. The surprise track for me towards the end of the disc is "Darling." As close to traditional as anything else on the disc gets, the track's sunny acoustic guitar and vibes progressions and upright-sounding bass are topped by very distant, reverbed and harmonized vocals that convey a very 1950's style of country singing on the radio waves of the day. I can't help but visualize some sort of scene from a David Lynch flick upon hearing it in this context. The presence of weaving violin (or perhaps fiddle in this case) add to the track's somewhat authentic sound. Caney and Joory have put together an interesting and creative writing style throughout Magic Radios, based on somewhat diverse influences and backgrounds. From what I'm hearing, my only complaint is that there are times when it sounds as though their compositions and outputs are playing it too safe where some areas could be stretched further. I'm sure that restraint, at times, is part and parcel of working in the collaborative environment as not to tread on each others toes.
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