PERCUSSIVE MAINTENANCE #13: SIMON POPP W/ RUTH GOLLER

Percussive Maintenance is an initiative by drummer Simon Popp aimed at forming new ties through improvisation. At Import Export Munich, Simon invites fellow artists to engage in an open-format collaboration. For each evening, new formations are created, playing exclusively improvised music, making each concert a truly unique experience. For this special event, Simon will be joined by the innovative and boundary-pushing bassist, vocalist, composer and environmentalist Ruth Goller (UK).

Ruth Goller

Hailed by the Guardian for her “thunderous bass-guitar hooks”, Goller helped lay the foundation for the UK’s jazz renaissance, from her years on stage with Acoustic Ladyland and Melt Yourself Down, to more recently Let Spin and Vula Viel, whilst performing and recording with the likes of Shabaka Hutchings, Mercury-Award nominee Kit Downes, Sam Amidon, Bojan Z, Marc Ribot, Rokia Traoré, and Paul McCartney. On ‘Skylla’, Goller in some ways returns to the pure untaught instincts that drove her as a teen punk musician. Working with different tunings for each song, Goller composes instinctively based on what she hears in every moment. As Goller puts it, “at that point muscle memory doesn’t work anymore so I have to trust my ear completely”. While predominantly a solo work, Goller is aided on ‘Skylla’ by accomplished and celebrated vocalists Lauren Kinsella and Alice Grant. The final contribution is from Kit Downes with the post-production and mixing of the record.Intimate voice and bass guitar entwine in improvised tandem on Goller’s debut album exhibiting a confidence that reflects her experience at the vanguard of the European jazz scene. A work of uncanny and original beauty on which Goller has reached deep within to find pure honesty and musical originality. As ECM Reviews put it, Goller “unravel(s) an intimacy so deep it (feels) almost blasphemous to be privy to its wonders.”

Simon Popp

Exploration and play are at the core of Simon Popp’s creative process. Classically trained in jazz drumming and polyrhythm, the Bavarian-born artist draws from a vast array of percussive instruments to build his expansive sound palette. Learning the drums and listening to a wide range of genres from a young age instilled in him a ravenous musical curiosity that resonates throughout his various projects. Popp’s debut album ‘Laya’, as well as his follow-ups ‘Devi’ and ‘Blizz’ make use of rhythms as storytelling mechanisms. Contrasting light and dark, organic and synthetic sounds, his compositions are filled with subtle complexities which demand close listening. The Line Of Best Fit have praised Popp’s work with “this is music you can get totally lost in, where the lines between organic and electric are blurred so as to be indistinguishable." Alongside acclaim from the likes of Clash, Juno and Ransom Note, Bleep drew comparisons between Popp and experimental heroes of Philip Glass and Steve Reich. Closely affiliated with Munich-based label Squama, who revolve around the axis of contemporary jazz, minimal and ambient influences, Popp’s extensive output through Fazer, 9ms, Enji & Popp and Runden showcase his passion for collaborating across a variety of avant-garde and popular music. His latest album ‚Blizz' sees Popp delve deeper into this interplay between electronic and organic percussive sounds to new and delightful results.