Nothing will ever remain the same. There is no such thing as firm ground that will give stability and security. Ka Baird’s solo album Sapropelic Pycnic revolves around the theme of transformation, in various senses. She processes the sounds of her flute, of her voice—multiplying, speeding up and slowing down. Sometimes her singing sounds angelic, as multiple flutes whirl around her like a flock of birds, as if she controlled them with a wave of her arm. In “Tok Tru” she growls as she rises to attain transcendental heights and view the world in a new and perhaps truer light. Later on, her music takes on various guises, blending styles dressed in Medieval and Renaissance colours with repetitive phrases, joining early music and the multivocal repertoire of Meredith Monk. This is an album of intriguing juxtapositions, where apparent naivety and sophistication go hand in hand, where tribal and digital expressions meet, where Baird makes the listener ponder what is reality and what is distorted reflection or smokescreen. Or, stated as if with some surprise through the titles of the two last tracks, “Ka / You are Myself.”
René van Peer is a music journalist from the Netherlands. He writes about improvised and contemporary composed music, world music, and sound art. He also writes program notes for several Dutch venues, such as the Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ in Amsterdam. Leonardo and Songlines have published his articles and reviews. Het Apollohuis published his book Interviews with sound artists. He is artistic adviser for composers, ensembles and festivals, and is a member of the music committee of a major cultural foundation in the Netherlands, the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds.