VINYL LP + digital download
43:25 min
limited to 200 copies
core 022

Release is delayed. New shipping date: JANUARY 2023

• Recorded at Brief Sand, Berlin
• Recorded and mixed by Tony Buck
• Mastered by Joe Talia
• Cover art: Tina Douglas
• Layout: Wendelin Büchler
• LC 98739
• Funded by Musikfonds e.V. by means of the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media (BKM), as part of the NEUSTART KULTUR recovery programm

“…Patina takes place in some interstellar spaceship lounge where a jazz band drums up a storm of noise in the far background while silvery tones bob about for attention in zero gravity. It seems quite cool and unruffled, and yet there’s a tension behind the fragmented melodies and effects that the background thrashing is drawing our attention to.”
— The Sound Projector (UK)

“How many clavichord and percussion albums can you name? Tony Buck and Magda Mayas aim to corner the market as SPILL.“
— A Closer Listen (USA)

“The opening, 23-minute of «Aerate» suggests the hypnotic and enigmatic, deep listening dialog between the diverse keyboards, string and percussion instruments as well as the idiosyncratic and imaginative harmonic and melodic language of Spill.”
— Salt and Peanuts (SE)

“…Buck and Magda Mayas have developed an improvisation-based methodology that admits both slow-growing evolution and quick, sometimes violent changes of course into uncluttered, open spaces.”
— The Wire (UK)

“… Furthermore “Patina” brings forth a calming, comforting and certainly more melodic take on Minimal FutureJazz whereas the concluding “Residue” loses itself in well romantic piano etudes, perfectly rounding off this journey on a peaceful and dreamy tip.”
— Nite Styles (DE)

“Buck på slagverk och Mayas på piano. Långsamt, skevt och ibland något atonalt. Fint som fan.”
— Discreet Music (SE)

“Mayas e Buck tornano con un lavoro che certifica, ancora una volta, il loro affiatamento: pur essendo un lavoro ostico in alcuni passaggi, occorre più di un ascolto per apprezzare bene sfumature che producono sensazioni complessivamente positive.”
— Music Map (IT)

“… Eine mustergültige Elegie. Diese Musik lässt sich Zeit und spielt auf selten begangenen Pfaden. An denen finden sich die erstklassigen Pilze.
— taz (DE)

“… Eine subtile Entfaltung und eine sanfte Vorwärtsbewegung geben einer kristallartigen Verschmelzung divergierender instrumentaler Stimmen und Farben eine Form: Wie die Entfaltung eines seltsamen und duftenden Organismus im Zeitraffer, bewegt sich Mycelium langsam und breitet seine Ranken immer weiter und tiefer in eine sanfte, kaleidoskopische Welt der beharrlichen Vorstellungskraft.”
— Radiohörer (DE)

“…Mayas and Buck are perfectly attuned to each other, give each other space to develop their respective ideas and yet make them resonate with each other. It is a pure joy to witness.”
— Field Notes (DE)

“…Un notturno, liquido scorrere, con il lunare, infetto classicismo di Residue, sul tutto.” Voto: 7,5
— Kathodik (IT)

“…Feldman’sche Freiheit aus Ruhe auf der einen Seite, ungestüme Lust am Geräusch auf der anderen – und die Zeit verliert ihre Bedeutung.”
— Westzeit (DE)

“…At points as primitive as it is futuristic, the program uses fragmentation and ambiguity to advance the themes without concrete definition. A type of melodicism is also present throughout.”
— Jazzword (CA)

Over 20 years working together as SPILL, Buck and Magda Mayas have developed an improvisation-based methodology that admits both slow-growing evolution and quick, sometimes violent changes of course into uncluttered, open spaces. On their fifth album as a duo, they are especially attentive to contrasts of texture, such as the drizzle of pure chimes over distorted electric and prepared acoustic pianos on “Patina”.
— Bill Meyer, The Wire (UK)

In 2022, Berlin-based duo SPILL (Magda Mayas on clarinet and piano, Tony Buck on percussion) celebrated 20 years of working, recording and performing together and in collaboration with others, notably Damon Smith (double bass) and David Brown (guitar) with a new album, their fifth called “Mycelium”, and a small concert tour in Germany in October. This tour included special guests such as John Butcher, with whom Buck and Mayas have occasionally worked as the group Vellum. Incidentally we’ve met Mayas not that along ago here in the annals of The Sound Projector, as a member of Great Waitress along with Laura Altman and Monica Brooks.

On “Mycelium”, SPILL’s approach to free improvisation on piano (often prepared) and percussion results in a rich textured music that for the most part is serene and cool in temperament but which can harbour hidden tremors that now and again erupt in jittery, even knockabout tantrums. This is most apparent on first track “Aerate”, the longest of four pieces based around what appears to be the life cycle of the root-like structures (or mycelia) of fungi: over its 23-minute length, the track steadily spreads out its tendrils of disjointed piano melody, various sound effects and the occasional cymbal hiss, punctuated by sudden fits of percussion and piano frenzy. In its last few moments the track seems to slow down but the music’s progress becomes jerky and disordered, as if the mycelium network it might be describing is starting to disintegrate at the same time that it keeps on growing.

The other three tracks on the album (“Pure”, “Patina” and “Residue”) are much shorter and as a result have clear personalities. “Pure” proceeds like a religious ritual carried out by Buddhist monks in some far Eastern territory, with its gong bashes, a thumping drum, twangy bell tones and quivering drones. “Patina” takes place in some interstellar spaceship lounge where a jazz band drums up a storm of noise in the far background while silvery tones bob about for attention in zero gravity. It seems quite cool and unruffled, and yet there’s a tension behind the fragmented melodies and effects that the background thrashing is drawing our attention to. Slow piano melodies and subdued percussion rhythm dominate “Residue” in a moody, almost elegiac track despite the restless drumming behind the piano and ambient effects.

For most of its running time, this album is easy on the ear though it does require deep listening in a quiet environment so that its full richness and contrast of sounds as piano and percussion alternate between doing battle against one another and striving together over a vast territory of fungi networks. Each track needs to be savoured for the atmospheres it conjures up. “Mycelium” may end up infiltrating your head and spreading its branches just as fungi mycelia spread through the soil. Don’t say you weren’t warned!
— nausika, The Sound Projector (UK)

Mycelium is a root-like structure of a fungus consisting of a mass of branching, thread-like hyphae. Mycelium is also the album that celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Berlin-based duo Spill – German keyboards player Magda Mayas (known from such experimental ensembles as Great Waitress and Jane In Ether) and Australian drummer Tony Buck (of The Necks fame), who are partners also in life. The Mycelium structure imagines faithfully Spill’s unique approach to the piano and percussion combination. Mayas and Buck collaborated and recorded together also with other like-minded improvisers, most recently with British sax player John Butcher. Mycelium is the fifth album of Spill and was recorded in Berlin following a period of focused workshopping. It expands the sonic palette of Spill and deals with notions of space, slowness and delay. Mayas play a prepared piano, Fender Rhodes, clavinet and organ while Buck adds the guitar, monochord, bells, gongs and waterphone to his drum set. Spill also used the recording studio for layering, overdubbing, processing and contrasting acoustic spaces which further enriched the duo’s aesthetics.

Mycelium deepens the sonic territories explored in Spill’s previous album Stereo (Corvo, 2018). The four distinct pieces unfold slowly and sketch subtle, often sensual and tender textures of detailed acoustic and electronic sounds. Spill employs its experimental approach in a way that transforms these textures into engaging and surprisingly charming ones. The opening, 23-minute of «Aerate» suggests the hypnotic and enigmatic, deep listening dialog between the diverse keyboards, string and percussion instruments as well as the idiosyncratic and imaginative harmonic and melodic language of Spill. The following pieces are shorter but keep developing patiently Spill’s mysterious and kaleidoscopic, fragrant aural organism with a rare sense of beauty.
— Eyal Hareuveni, Salt & Peanuts (SE)

News from Wendelin Büchler’s label Corvo are always good ones, and in October there were two of them: Stefan Römer returned with »,« i.e. electronic agitpop and conceptual noise, and with »« the keyboard experimentalist Magda Mayas and the drummer and jack-of-all-trades Tony Buck delivered their fifth album under the name SPILL. In a way, this is an anniversary release: the two have been working together for 20 years now. You can hear that in these drifting sound explorations: Mayas and Buck are perfectly attuned to each other, give each other space to develop their respective ideas and yet make them resonate with each other. It is a pure joy to witness.
— Field Notes (DE)

(…) Neither partner on the other disc is more dominant than the other. However the duo’s progressive minimalism avoids excessive fragmentation as broken chord evolution spills onto joint textural transformation. As part of the languid narratives which characterize the four tracks, the distinct attributes of each member’s instruments are overdubbed, so that they brush against and/or blend with other timbres. Dedicated to delay and processing, time and progress are stretched so that dynamics change only gradually. At times Mayas’ electric piano echoes, as on “Pure” or acoustic piano comping, as on “Patina lines” are emphasized. At other points wiggling outer-space like synthesized vibrations come to the forefront. Meanwhile Buck’s bass drum smacks, snare rattles and stick abrasions against cymbals are integrated into the noise evolution, which also includes monochord buzzes, guitar string strums and waterphone resonations.

At points as primitive as it is futuristic, the program uses fragmentation and ambiguity to advance the themes without concrete definition. A type of melodicism is also present throughout. While bare string scrapes and clavinet tension/release create an undulating continuum, Mayas and Buck define interaction with singular expositions on the concluding “Residue”. Reverting to acoustic piano and drum kit their evolving identity is confirmed, although this track, like mycelium’s others, appears able to continue to infinity.

Definition may still be a bit cloudy, but these session help confirm Mayas’ distinct if chameleonic identity.
– Ken Waxman, Jazzword (CA)

“Im Feedbackraum der Pilze”
Das Berliner Duo Spill assoziiert mit seinem Album „Mycelium“ das Wurzelsystem der Pilze und deren Verständigung mittels elektrischer Signale.

Der Soundtrack zur Pilzsaison beginnt dezent, vermutlich so, als würden die Lamellen einer Spieluhr einmal kurz angetippt oder der Messton des Testbilds sich im Raum verlieren.

Als gesichert kann gelten, dass Magda Mayas (Piano, Clavinet, Rhodes und Orgel) und Tony Buck (Schlagzeug, Perkussion, Gitarre, Waterphone und Monochord) vor zwanzig Jahren das in Berlin ansässige Duo Spill gegründet haben. Zum runden Geburtstag gibt es jetzt ein neues Album. Sein Titel „Mycelium“ assoziiert das Wurzelsystem der Pilze, ihren weithin unbeachteten Teil, der enorme Ausmaße, beachtliche Masse und ein hohes Alter erreichen kann. Es heißt, das Mycel diene der Verständigung mittels elektrischer Signale. Ein schönes Bild für die Improvisationsmusik von Mayas und Buck: Sie lassen in ruhige Pianofiguren jähe Schlagzeugmomente einbrechen, sie verdichten Klangblöcke, lockern wieder auf und arbeiten mit den Lücken, ohne sie zuzukleistern. Es wird gemorst und getastet, aber auch geknurrt und gefaucht.
Das erste Stück „Aerate“ bringt es mit 20 Minuten auf die übliche Länge bei Spill. Die B-Seite überrascht dann mit drei Stücken, die im Vergleich fast schon Vignetten sind: das fünfminütige „Pure“ mit feingliedriger Perkussion, tiefen Trommeln, flächigen Sounds und einer Feedback-Coda, die Trommelwirbel im achtminütigen „Patina“ oder aber die sechs Minuten „Residue“, eine mustergültige Elegie.

Diese Musik lässt sich Zeit und spielt auf selten begangenen Pfaden. An denen finden sich die erstklassigen Pilze.
— Robert Miessner, taz (DE)

Ein Jubiläum! Seit 20 Jahren spielt das Duo Magda Mayas und Tony Buck alias SPILL zusammen! Respekt. Das ist in unserer Zeit kaum zu glauben. Und noch immer spinnen sie zusammen aufregende Klänge, erforschen mit Ihren Improvisationen Raum und Zeit.

Seit 2002 entwickeln die in Berlin lebenden Musiker Tony Buck und Magda Mayas ihre Musik als Duo SPILL weiter – mit Aufnahmen, Tourneen und gelegentlicher Zusammenarbeit mit internationalen Gästen. In den letzten 20 Jahren haben sie ihren einzigartigen Ansatz für die Kombination von Klavier und Perkussion entwickelt.
SPILL feiert diesen Meilenstein mit der Veröffentlichung ihres fünften Albums mycelium bei Corvo Records und einer Reihe von Konzerten in ganz Deutschland im kommenden Oktober. mycelium baut auf den reichhaltigen Bereichen auf, die sie auf ihrer vorherigen Veröffentlichung Stereo entwickelt haben, und festigt die Beziehung der Gruppe mit dem abenteuerlustigen Berliner Label weiter.
Aufgenommen in Berlin nach einer Zeit des konzentrierten Arbeitens, beschäftigt sich das Album mit Begriffen wie Raum, Langsamkeit und Verzögerung. Mit einem Füllhorn von präpariertem Klavier, Schlagzeug, Fender Rhodes, Clavinet, Gitarre, Monochord, Glocken, Gongs, Waterphone und Orgel erweitern Tony Buck und Magda Mayas die Palette, in der sie arbeiten, erheblich.

In vier kontrastierenden Stücken arbeitet SPILL in einem sich langsam entfaltenden, ruhigen Raum und nutzt das Studio und alles, was es in Bezug auf Overdubbing und Bearbeitung zu bieten hat. Gedehnte und zersplitterte Schlagzeugparts, abwechslungsreiche akustische Räume und klangfarbliche Dialoge zwischen verschiedenen Tasten-, Streich- und Schlaginstrumenten ergeben eine sanfte harmonische und melodische Sprache und tragen zu einem Album von unheimlicher Schönheit und betörendem Charme bei. Eine subtile Entfaltung und eine sanfte Vorwärtsbewegung geben einer kristallartigen Verschmelzung divergierender instrumentaler Stimmen und Farben eine Form: Wie die Entfaltung eines seltsamen und duftenden Organismus im Zeitraffer, bewegt sich Mycelium langsam und breitet seine Ranken immer weiter und tiefer in eine sanfte, kaleidoskopische Welt der beharrlichen Vorstellungskraft.

Und so spinnen beide feine Fäden, aus Klängen, die man oft keinem Instrument genau zuordnen kann. Es entsteht ein Fluss, in dem ich mich gerne treiben lasse und ich bin gespannt auf jede Biegung, jedes Abzweigen, wo mich neues und unerhörtes erwartet. Eine unbedingte Empfehlung für offene Ohren!
— Radiohörer (DE)

SPILL sind Magda Mayas (piano, clavinet, fender rhodes, organ) und Tony Buck (drums, percussion, guitar, waterphone, monochord), also zwei der Großen der Berliner ImproSzene. “mycelium” (Corvo) heißt die Lp der beiden, auf der sie sich tastend um ihre instrumentalen Möglichkeiten bewegen. Feldman’sche Freiheit aus Ruhe auf der einen Seite, ungestüme Lust am Geräusch auf der anderen – und die Zeit verliert ihre Bedeutung.
— Karsten Zimalla, Westzeit (DE)

Magda Mayas è una pianista, clarinettista e organista di stanza a Berlino. Con il concittadino Tony Buck, batterista, percussionista, chitarrista e suonatore di waterphone e monochord, hanno formato gli Spill, un progetto che quest’anno festeggia il ventesimo anniversario della sua fondazione.

Da poco, il duo ha pubblicato per Corvo Records il quinto album intitolato “Mycelium”, promosso attraverso una serie di concerti in Germania. Il disco comprende quattro pezzi imperniati intorno ai concetti di spazio, lentezza e riverbero, ottenuti tramite i dialoghi tra percussioni e diversi tipi di tastiere, con un linguaggio armonico e melodico.

Aprono gli oltre venti minuti di “Aerate”, dall’incedere sospeso e cadenzato, che consentono di apprezzare la ricchezza di soluzioni e sfumature di un sound profondo ed evocativo. C’è una più marcata vocazione sperimentale in “Pure”, dove rintocchi leggeri e luminosi sono cullati dal suono grave prodotto dalle corde di chitarra, mentre “Patina” insegue soluzioni più educate e melodiche, prima di incupirsi leggermente in una seconda metà di brano più articolata.

“Residue” sceglie una costruzione più semplice e lineare, con un’atmosfera quasi cinematografica e un dialogo che si fa intenso pur nella sua essenzialità. Mayas e Buck tornano con un lavoro che certifica, ancora una volta, il loro affiatamento: pur essendo un lavoro ostico in alcuni passaggi, occorre più di un ascolto per apprezzare bene sfumature che producono sensazioni complessivamente positive.
— Piergiuseppe Lippolis, Musicmap (IT)

Da Berlino, il duo SPILL in festa per i vent’anni di attività.
Tony Buck (australiano batterista/percussionista nel culto The Necks) e la pianista/compositrice Magda Mayas, si ritrovano per la loro quinta uscita. Batteria e pianoforte (preparato/trattato con garbo), ripresi in azione istantanea.
Una versione avant/impro di materia Feldman / Davis, tagliata con minimali, comunicative dosi di ruggine urbana.
Un notturno, liquido scorrere, con il lunare, infetto classicismo di Residue, sul tutto.
Voto: 7,5
— Marco Carcasi, Kathodik (IT)

Released via the Berlin-based avantgarde imprint Corvo Records on October 9th, 2k22 is “Mycelium”, the latest full length album release by Magda Mayas and Tony Buck under their shared musical alias that is Spill. Having developed their joined artistic approach over the course of two decades the duo caters a roughly 43 minutes spanning journey, presenting a total of four new compositions which further explore their musical angle on piano and drums whilst branching out towards other instruments as well. The result is a stripped down, deeply nocturnal, somewhat minimal DarkJazz leaning atmosphere in the albums main opening cut “Aerate” which slightly exceeds the 23+ minutes mark, catering an array of sparse and floating piano threads of growing intensity rolled out over a complex, brooding rhythmic fundation whilst the subsequent “Pure”, even though employing a similar approach, seems to lend itself more to the taste of Dark Ambient than DarkJazz lovers. Furthermore “Patina” brings forth a calming, comforting and certainly more melodic take on Minimal FutureJazz whereas the concluding “Residue” loses itself in well romantic piano etudes, perfectly rounding off this journey on a peaceful and dreamy tip.
— baze.djunkiii, Nitestyles (DE)