Dave Harrington and Nicolas Jaar might have suspended their Darkside project, but their collaborative spirit remains strong. Harrington invited Jaar to perform as a member of the Dave Harrington Group and in return Jarr is releasing the subsequent album Become Alive on his Other People imprint.
In a statement released alongside the announcement of Become Alive, Harrington credits Jarr with instilling an interest in the studio, saying “I used to be someone who didn’t really care about recording.” Before making the Darkside record, he was satisfied with house parties and free jazz gigs in art galleries. He was putzing, mostly.
“Then I joined Nico’s band, and got involved in electronic music. When we started Darkside, that’s when I became really excited about making a record and started seeing recording and working in the studio as a creative outlet. Then, I got really inspired by that specific moment in history when jazz improvisation meets studio technique, the late 60s, early 70s – and I just wanted to get a bunch of close friends together to play.”
With the formation of the Dave Harrington Group, a 11 member ensemble of improvisors and factotums, Harrington has taken a magisterial step in his fascination with the studio. Become Alive replicates spontaneity through Harrington’s post-production manipulations. It is a record that feels lucid and liberated, even though Harrington cops to having devised it as so. It’s Harrington stepping into his own and shedding his partisan skin.
Shot by Artem Aisagaliev, the “White Heat” film is 10 minutes of sacrament performed by Harrington, Will Epstein, Andrew Fox, Nate Sloan, and Samer Ghadry.
Dave Harrington Group’s Become Alive is out April 15 on Other People.
