QUICKSAILS "A Fantasy in Seasons" c30 (NNA)

The thing that immediately stands out about this release by Chicago's Quicksails is that this is a synth album with some really excellent percussion. That makes plenty of sense when you learn that the man behind the keys is Ben Baker Billington, drummer for the assblasting free jazz group Tiger Hatchery. As if the genuinely kosmische analog synth wasn't enough, Billington tricks out each track with some exceptional accompaniment on tabla, timpani, log drum, clinking metal and drum machine...or at least it sounds like that's what it is. None of the percussion is drivingly rhythmic, but is instead used to further the expansive psychedelic thing he's going for here. I can't recommend this highly enough. Quicksails was my favorite part of the recent Raw Meet fest in Boston and this has got to be my favorite release on NNA thus far. Waiting for that LP...who's putting it out?

QUICKSAILS "Silver Balloons in Clusters" (Deception Island)

Quicksails is the solo project of Tiger Hatchery percussionist, Ben Billington. Unlike his fierce work in Hatchery (or his staggering 90 minute solo percussion session for 905 Tapes) Billington indulges in synth and electronics as Quicksails. This tape for the Deception Island label follows up a very cool tape on Cylindrical Habitat Modules. Silver Balloons sounds cleaner and the percussion and synth elements are less integrated creating a contrasting pallet of smooth synth-tones and reverberating bells, cymbals and other percussion. Billington seems to be occupying dual roles here as keyboard/electronics guru and percussionist. The synth is certainly the central element pushing each track but it feels fresh to have percussion in the mix.

Update: UK label Under the Spire has since pressed Silver Balloons in Clusters on vinyl