K. Leimer - A Period Of Review (Original Recordings: 1975 - 1983)

  • Share
  • Once in a while, a reissue or compilation will shine a light on artist who clearly deserves it. That RVNG Intl. are behind A Period Of Review ought to let you know K. Leimer is one such artist. Leimer deals with a wide range of styles and condenses them into short, digestible pieces, most running around the three-minute mark. Composed between 1975 and 1983, these pieces recall artists like Brian Eno and Steve Reich, bridging pop, avant-garde and modern classical music. A Period of Review is characterized by its moods, and shows Leimer at his most personal and most escapist. Tracks like "From One To Ten," "All Sad Days" and the strange "Lonely Boy" are bedroom minimal synth in the vein of Ohama or Felix Kubin. All three are quirky, homemade and metallic compared to the rest of the collection. By contrast, pieces like "Entre'acte" and "Archie's Dub" contain the fourth world synthscapes and spacious arrangements that characterize Leimer's more well-known work, like the soundtrack to the dreamlike documentary of Jamaica, Land Of Look Behind. It may be a stretch to call Leimer's work ahead of its time—really, most of the pieces here fit snugly next to those of his contemporaries—but it hasn't aged much either, and definitely still resonates today. Leimer's approach is shy, but not naive, and often seamlessly merges the organic and synthetic with playfulness rather than pretension. He's said he's influenced by elegies and "sad music," something that's clear on the pensive "Malaise," "Ceylon" and "Porcelain." All are full of lonely beauty, and seem composed with a heavy sigh. If Leimer's music isn't wholly optimistic, then at the very least it's serene, peaceful and orderly in a hazy, calming way.
  • Tracklist
      01. Ceylon 02. My Timid Desires 03. From A Common Center 04. Explanation Of Terms 05. From One To Ten 06. Entr'acte 07. Bump In The Night 08. (Aka Accident) 09. Facing East 10. At Daybreak 11. A Spiritual Life 12. Honey To Ashes 13. Stop It! 14. Two Voices 15. Lonely Boy 16. Practical Demonstration 17. Commercial 18. Gisella 19. Archie's Dub 20. Ikumi 21. Reassurances 22. Assemble And Diffuse 23. Eno's Aviary 24. Almost Chinese 25. Agfa / Lupa 26. The Phonic Chasm (Excerpt) feat. Dawn Seago 27. Acquiescence 28. Malaise 29. All Sad Days 30. Porcelain feat. Nancy Estle
RA