Grundik and Slava, the highly respected and fruitful duo that originated in Israel in 1994, currently share their time navigating their music between Israel and New York. On Frogs, they benefit from the undeciphered vocals of Victoria Hanna (at times whispering in a Gilli Smyth manner), and some bass work by Kruzenshtern & Parohod’s Igor Krutogolov; but most of all they rely on their own vision and their own means (such as computer, guitar, drum machine and field recordings, not to forget their skills) to execute it.
Frogs is to electronic music what Egberto Gismonti’s Danca Das Cabecas (1977) is to jazz and Peccatum’s Lost in Reverie (2004) is to metal: a journey that stretches beyond the boundaries of a genre, avoiding preconceived limitations and definitions, and bridging between the tangible and the metaphysical, while navigating between the structured and unstructured.
The music presented here is a carefully unfolding organic adventure with its background and foreground merging into a single entity, making each listening equivalent to a trip in wild nature, ranging from the tribal and eerie to the meditative and relaxing, and with so much finesse that it can only be partially absorbed on each trip; hence, remaining fresh with every listen.
Frogs is one of the most articulate electronica offerings I have ever heard, and a must have for anyone with even a mild interest in avant-garde electronica that is completely free of commercial considerations. (9.5/10)
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- Июнь 2, 2006: Gothtronic, Frogs
After “For electronics and birds” the album “Frogs” is the second in Grundik + Slava’s fauna series. As the title presumes, all the music is dedicated to frogs. The titles of the songs enhance this presumption even more. As on it’s predesessor “For electronics and birds” the electronic music is amplified by sound of
- Июль 2, 2005: Crucial blast, Frogs
Improv and ghostly drone/ambient constructions are mixed with field recordings of frogs (and freshwater environments) and haunting vocal improvisations from singer Victoria Hanna by the Israeli duo Grundik/Slava. Sort of creepy, but very pretty. The chirping of frogs and crickets mingles with Victoria’s strange, witchy enunciations and child-like gibberish, while bass guitars, howling wind, guitar,
- Август 2, 2004: Neurozine, for electronics and birds
This record begins with birds singing and soft clock-like electrical tones that caress the mind. It almost feels magical to listen to Grundik+Slava that consists of the two Russians Igor “Grundik” Kasyansky and Slava Smelovsky. This is their fourth record, the previous records are released by Israeli Fact Records and Earsay Records. Grundik and Slava
- Сентябрь 1, 2005: Cyclic Defrost 12, Frogs, September 2005
Ok yep, a frog concept album from Israeli sound artists and electronic duo Grundik Igor Kasyansky and Slava Smelovsky. In fact frogs are mentioned in pretty much every song title, such as a frog gets over his fear of water and the old frogs dream. But why frogs? “Only frogs know,” says the cd tray,
- Август 21, 2007: startling moniker, for electronics and birds
Part organic ambient excursion, and part country lullaby, this album (of which I have an advance, and most likely incomplete, copy) has really grown on me since the first time I heard it. Utilising electronic instruments, “sound objects,” harmonium, and vocals; Grundik & Slava have really created some beautiful music of startling complexity. Sometimes, it