Music as Mute Philosophy: An Album Review of A House of Last Witnesses by Erich Barganier

The last album I reviewed for Vonyco was a release on people places records featuring two contemporary composers, Cassie Wieland and Erich Barganier. Now on the Belts & Whistles label, one half of the duo returns with his first solo release, titled A House of Last Witnesses. After being contacted by the label to write an article, I decided to assemble a few small thoughts that came to mind when listening to Erich Barganier's new release. So in this article, as we step into Barganier's crunching, spiraling sound environments, we'll also find an opportunity to discuss the nature of the human body, drugs, Japanese experimental music, and the inevitability of death as represented by musical form.