Most of us like to think of folk as a distinctly jangly, American type of music, so imagine my surprise to hear the Baltimorian DANIEL HIGGS(hero of LUNGFISH and more recently his work with SKULL DEFEKTS) cop a soul-twang stomp than I hadn’t heard the likes of since Megafaun. Homie pushes the envelope of solo banjo songcraft, warping scales and chords with abandon to suit his mood, often descending into deep trance-like repeated sequences only to break out with the most subtle change in harmony or rhythm. He doesn’t follow rigid musical structures, frequently breaking time and key to go astral traveling and coax extraterrestrial sounds from his banjo. HIGGS is here working with the publishing and promotion collective LA CASTANYA, a major player in Spain’s experimental music scene, who are prolific in the volume of their releases. So next time you hear that fucked-up jitterbug of jangles and twangs, make sure to sit down and pay attention because it could be Daniel Higgs thrashin’ away.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4JY-sZzAXU&feature=related