Arthur King Release 'UMN (Fantastic Planet)'
by Scott Osgood
Announcing the latest entry in Arthur King's ongoing live quadraphonic scoring experiments: UMN (Fantastic Planet). Reaching for (and pulling from) the stars, the spontaneous live performance is a transcendent work punctuated by the ceremonial spirit of cosmic jazz and collective improvisation. Deep jams meet heady space. Featuring Kern Haug, Pauline Lay, JP Maramba, David Ralicke, and Peter Walker, UMN (Fantastic Planet) is out today digitally and on simultaneous stereo/quad immersive cassette.
From the first note, the musicians are hard-wired into the visual moment, treating film transitions as structural cues for daring sonic explorations. As the performance unfolds, initial boundaries between violin, synth, and horn dissolve into a fluid musical tapestry, yielding to the sharp, unanticipated segues that define the Unknown Movie Night series.
With all the new energies at play, the strength of the AK banner might lie, unexpectedly, in the art of restraint. Throughout UMN (Fantastic Planet), players frequently recede, carving out space or providing gentle scaffolding for one another. The result is a beautiful, strange experiment: a vast array of unlikely sounds emerging and retreating with collective emotional attentiveness. For the deep listener, it’s more than a performance—it’s a score for an unseen film, a soundtrack to an imagined space, and a journey through sonic world-building.
Music: Arthur King
Musicians: Kern Haug, Pauline Lay, JP Maramba, David Ralicke, Peter Walker
Film selector: Floria Sigismondi
Recorded live on Feb. 13, 2025 at 2220 Arts + Archives
Produced Peter Walker & KamranV
Live sound and recording engineers: Jenn Kraus, Jack Correll
Mixed by David Ralicke
Mastered by KamranV
Art layout and design by Jasper McMahon
AKP054
