Baker-Barganier Duo — ...and darkness was upon the face of the deep. CL slept on the July release from New Renaissance composers Elizabeth A. Baker and Erich Barganier, who claim to have taken a look at the history of subjugation on this hour-long sonic trip that’ll haunt our dreams for the next few months. Inspired by African-American slave songs and critiques of the American penal system, the piece ends somewhat sunny after banjos, bells and overpower shackle sounds on “Chain Gang.” And while opening tracks “My Father How Long” and “Dreams” lull listeners into a sense of calm, “I’m still having waterbug problems” is an unnerving and discombobulating movement paced by muted beats and replete with the crying of a bowed instrument that makes us feel like we’re trapped in that cold, dark, eerie place Eleven always goes to in Stranger Things.
See a full recap of the year's best local albums in the new issue of Creative Loafing Tampa. Check out the full list via cltampa.com/music. Call your local record store to see if it has this release.
This article appears in Dec 21-28, 2017.