press
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a polymath who elides any divide between improvised and composed music, or jazz and contemporary approaches [...] whose practice can't be contained by genre or discipline
-The Wire a musician in fast ascent -Wall Street Journal seemingly boundless creativity -Downbeat [a] brilliant improviser -JazzTimes cutting edge -Sequenza 21 a profound concept […] triumphant […] fascinating -Pop Matters a visionary who has fully embraced the present day. -Jazz Thing (DE) |
photo by Christopher Pelham
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Further press clippings are organized by project below.
General Press
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Chamber Music America Magazine (conversation with Layale Chaker): read
The Keyboard Chronicles (interview): listen/watch The Saad Haddad Show (interview): listen/watch Harvard Magazine Profile: read 15 Questions: read |
photo by Nathalie Basoski
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Press for Abiding Memory (Phillip Golub Quintet)
Abiding Memory is the debut release of the Phillip Golub Quintet, on Berthold Records/Endectomorph Music
Larry Blumenfeld - THE WALL STREET JOURNAL (US): Phillip Golub is a musician in fast ascent, here making his boldest statement yet [...] richly textured [...] structurally ingenious [...] potent sense of drama (read more)
Alexa Peters - DOWNBEAT (US): Abiding Memory showcases the seemingly boundless creativity of keyboardist Golub and his band [...] skillfully shaped by Golub and company, Abiding Memory possesses a grounding, mesmeric magic. (read more)
Christian Genzel - ALL MUSIC (US): ★★★★ ∙ ghostly [...] impressionistic soundscapes [...] while Golub's compositions and modern jazz improvisations can be challenging, this emotional current grounds the record and makes it accessible. (read more)
Vincenzo Roggero - ALL ABOUT JAZZ (IT): ★★★★ ∙ "Abiding Memory" has a complex and sophisticated writing style conveyed with great lightness [...] Listening to the ten tracks fully confirms the excellence of the result, as "Abiding Memory" is a debut as a leader with great impact [...] breathtaking (read more ITA) (read more ENG)
NPR (US): NPR – Jazz Night in America – Best of the Month (June 2024) (read more)
Larry Blumenfeld - JAZZIZ (US) - Critics Picks #1 of 2024: Golub, a pianist and composer who worked closely with the late saxophonist Wayne Shorter and with violinist Layale Chaker on their operas, announced his own expansive musical vision, leading a quintet of piano, cello, electric guitar, bass and drums. These 10 tracks play out like one long song, yet each forms a satisfying suite. (read more)
Thomas Conrad - NYC JAZZ RECORD (US): Our present jazz moment contains such a wealth of adventurous experimentation and fearless conceptual expansion as to rival any previous era of the art form. Yet even today, albums that occupy a unique sonic environment are rare. One is Abiding Memory, Phillip Golub’s recording debut as a leader. [Abiding Memory] evoke[s] darkly cinematic narratives whose mysteries can only be approached through a nonobjective medium like music. [...] As you acclimate to Golub’s world, you recognize something even more fascinating than technology: art. Golub’s unpredictable music unleashes startling melodies. (read more)
Ted Panken - DOWNBEAT (US): Abiding Memory is an intricate nine-part chamber jazz suite for quintet by pianist Phillip Golub, performed with telepathic intention and creative spirit. (read more)
Sven Thielmann - FONO FORUM (DE): ★★★★½ ∙ This is clearly a milestone in contemporary jazz. (read more DEU) (read more ENG)
Harry Schmidt - JAZZTHETIK (DE): Abiding Memory [...] leaves a lasting impression. [...] Abiding Memory is an elaborate mix: lush, detailed, rich in references, high-concept, and presented with emotional seriousness. (read more DEU) (read more ENG)
JAZZ THING (DE): A visionary who has fully embraced the present day. (read more DEU) (read more ENG)
Safra - CONCERTO (AT): One of the most interesting new releases in modern jazz. (read more DEU) (read more ENG)
Benno Bartsch - JAZZ PODIUM (DE): The music contains genre-typical elements of jazz, as well as rock, minimal music, free improvisation music, and new music – a stylistic amalgamation of musical particles and fragments that are recomposed into unheard-of music. [...] Because the music always follows an internal logic, the feeling of arbitrariness never arises. You can sense that this was made for curious listeners, and not just for the musicians' fun. (read more DEU) (read more ENG)
Tokiwa Takehiko - JAZZLIFE (JP): In this unpredictable and thrilling development of the music, you can see the DNA of [Wayne] Shorter, who continued to move forward until the very end. (read more)
Ethan Iverson - TRANSITIONAL TECHNOLOGY (US): a marvelous sentimental utterance [...] provocative and fresh [...] my jaw was on the floor during “Where Lapses Elapse,” which ends up being a kind of baroque trill study gone horribly wrong (I mean hilariously right) (read more)
Craig L. Byrd - CULTURAL ATTACHE (US): [Abiding Memory] is a stunning album that is worth repeated listening so that you can discover more and more layers to this incredibly layered and thoughtful music. Put it on, tune out the rest of the world and listen with an open heart and an open mind and you will create your own abiding memories of hearing Golub’s music. (read more)
Jean-Claude Vantroyen - LE SOIR (BE): Philip Golub's music, complex as it may be, flows like clear water. For he possesses the art of transforming the abstruse and impenetrable into sophisticated and even joyful music. [...] Sincerity and commitment give Golub's music an impression of fluidity, ease and pleasure. (read more)
JAZZIZ Editors (FI): Golub reveals his talents for creating original and expressive music on his debut album (read more)
S. Victor Aaron - SOMETHING ELSE REVIEWS (US): Abiding Memory introduces Phillip Golub as a forceful composer, bandleader and musician, able to conceptualize sophisticated, symphonic works of music and platform them through a quintet. [...] It’s not just modern jazz, it’s up-to-the-minute, leading-edge modern jazz. [...] While the essence of this record is Golub’s composing and bandleader, “Abiding Memory” reveals maximal piano acumen, a language that incorporates advanced jazz and classical elements. (read more)
Jan Hocek - JAZZPORT (CZ): ★★★★★ [Abiding Memory] masterfully combines a maximalist approach to composition with palpable ensemble chemistry. (read more)
Stuart Kremsky - MR. STU'S RECORD ROOM (US): If, like me, you use your knowledge of particular players whose work you enjoyed to follow them in other projects, here’s a quintet of names to keep in mind. Definitely recommended. (read more)
MONDO JAZZ / Radio Free Brooklyn (US): A remarkable CD of intricate writing and compelling playing that confirms the Brooklyn-based pianist as one of the young talents to keep and eye on in the future. (read more)
Alexa Peters - DOWNBEAT (US): Abiding Memory showcases the seemingly boundless creativity of keyboardist Golub and his band [...] skillfully shaped by Golub and company, Abiding Memory possesses a grounding, mesmeric magic. (read more)
Christian Genzel - ALL MUSIC (US): ★★★★ ∙ ghostly [...] impressionistic soundscapes [...] while Golub's compositions and modern jazz improvisations can be challenging, this emotional current grounds the record and makes it accessible. (read more)
Vincenzo Roggero - ALL ABOUT JAZZ (IT): ★★★★ ∙ "Abiding Memory" has a complex and sophisticated writing style conveyed with great lightness [...] Listening to the ten tracks fully confirms the excellence of the result, as "Abiding Memory" is a debut as a leader with great impact [...] breathtaking (read more ITA) (read more ENG)
NPR (US): NPR – Jazz Night in America – Best of the Month (June 2024) (read more)
Larry Blumenfeld - JAZZIZ (US) - Critics Picks #1 of 2024: Golub, a pianist and composer who worked closely with the late saxophonist Wayne Shorter and with violinist Layale Chaker on their operas, announced his own expansive musical vision, leading a quintet of piano, cello, electric guitar, bass and drums. These 10 tracks play out like one long song, yet each forms a satisfying suite. (read more)
Thomas Conrad - NYC JAZZ RECORD (US): Our present jazz moment contains such a wealth of adventurous experimentation and fearless conceptual expansion as to rival any previous era of the art form. Yet even today, albums that occupy a unique sonic environment are rare. One is Abiding Memory, Phillip Golub’s recording debut as a leader. [Abiding Memory] evoke[s] darkly cinematic narratives whose mysteries can only be approached through a nonobjective medium like music. [...] As you acclimate to Golub’s world, you recognize something even more fascinating than technology: art. Golub’s unpredictable music unleashes startling melodies. (read more)
Ted Panken - DOWNBEAT (US): Abiding Memory is an intricate nine-part chamber jazz suite for quintet by pianist Phillip Golub, performed with telepathic intention and creative spirit. (read more)
Sven Thielmann - FONO FORUM (DE): ★★★★½ ∙ This is clearly a milestone in contemporary jazz. (read more DEU) (read more ENG)
Harry Schmidt - JAZZTHETIK (DE): Abiding Memory [...] leaves a lasting impression. [...] Abiding Memory is an elaborate mix: lush, detailed, rich in references, high-concept, and presented with emotional seriousness. (read more DEU) (read more ENG)
JAZZ THING (DE): A visionary who has fully embraced the present day. (read more DEU) (read more ENG)
Safra - CONCERTO (AT): One of the most interesting new releases in modern jazz. (read more DEU) (read more ENG)
Benno Bartsch - JAZZ PODIUM (DE): The music contains genre-typical elements of jazz, as well as rock, minimal music, free improvisation music, and new music – a stylistic amalgamation of musical particles and fragments that are recomposed into unheard-of music. [...] Because the music always follows an internal logic, the feeling of arbitrariness never arises. You can sense that this was made for curious listeners, and not just for the musicians' fun. (read more DEU) (read more ENG)
Tokiwa Takehiko - JAZZLIFE (JP): In this unpredictable and thrilling development of the music, you can see the DNA of [Wayne] Shorter, who continued to move forward until the very end. (read more)
Ethan Iverson - TRANSITIONAL TECHNOLOGY (US): a marvelous sentimental utterance [...] provocative and fresh [...] my jaw was on the floor during “Where Lapses Elapse,” which ends up being a kind of baroque trill study gone horribly wrong (I mean hilariously right) (read more)
Craig L. Byrd - CULTURAL ATTACHE (US): [Abiding Memory] is a stunning album that is worth repeated listening so that you can discover more and more layers to this incredibly layered and thoughtful music. Put it on, tune out the rest of the world and listen with an open heart and an open mind and you will create your own abiding memories of hearing Golub’s music. (read more)
Jean-Claude Vantroyen - LE SOIR (BE): Philip Golub's music, complex as it may be, flows like clear water. For he possesses the art of transforming the abstruse and impenetrable into sophisticated and even joyful music. [...] Sincerity and commitment give Golub's music an impression of fluidity, ease and pleasure. (read more)
JAZZIZ Editors (FI): Golub reveals his talents for creating original and expressive music on his debut album (read more)
S. Victor Aaron - SOMETHING ELSE REVIEWS (US): Abiding Memory introduces Phillip Golub as a forceful composer, bandleader and musician, able to conceptualize sophisticated, symphonic works of music and platform them through a quintet. [...] It’s not just modern jazz, it’s up-to-the-minute, leading-edge modern jazz. [...] While the essence of this record is Golub’s composing and bandleader, “Abiding Memory” reveals maximal piano acumen, a language that incorporates advanced jazz and classical elements. (read more)
Jan Hocek - JAZZPORT (CZ): ★★★★★ [Abiding Memory] masterfully combines a maximalist approach to composition with palpable ensemble chemistry. (read more)
Stuart Kremsky - MR. STU'S RECORD ROOM (US): If, like me, you use your knowledge of particular players whose work you enjoyed to follow them in other projects, here’s a quintet of names to keep in mind. Definitely recommended. (read more)
MONDO JAZZ / Radio Free Brooklyn (US): A remarkable CD of intricate writing and compelling playing that confirms the Brooklyn-based pianist as one of the young talents to keep and eye on in the future. (read more)
Press for Tropos
Tropos is a collective of improviser-composers that has put out several records in different combinations.
Giovanni Russonello – NEW YORK TIMES (US): The compositions of Anthony Braxton tend to be fastidious and wily works: They are carefully, almost obsessively built, but with room to move around; the performer also becomes a composer. That feeling — of a writhing text, something almost escaping its own language — became inspiration for Tropos, a quintet of young improvisers and composers who first met as students at New England Conservatory. On their debut album, “Axioms // 75 AB,” they take inspiration from Braxton’s method; half of its tracks are his compositions, and the other half are original pieces inspired by him. One of those, “Of the Trellis,” a smoky piece by the drummer Mario Layne Fabrizio, becomes a fertile meeting ground for Laila Smith’s voice and Raef Sengupta’s alto saxophone. (read more)
Mike Shanley - JAZZ TIMES (US): Profile in September 2020 issue (read more)
Phil Freeman - STEREOGUM (US): Tropos are a new group of young improvising musicians out of the New England Conservatory. This is their debut, and they’re making a powerful statement by juxtaposing five pieces they created themselves against six versions of Anthony Braxton compositions from the 1970s. (read more)
Thom Jurek - ALL MUSIC (US): The album's most compelling feature lies in how well Tropos integrate Braxton's influence and intent in the creation of a unique musical identity. With humor, high-powered energy, sudden radical rhythmic and harmonic shifts, and a kinetic range of dynamics, Tropos enthusiastically traverse the murky terrain between the voices of the soloist and the collective. [...] Tropos' Axioms // 75 AB is an auspicious debut, filled with exhilarating energy, charisma, and a canny ability to transform the complex and even inscrutable into sophisticated yet joyful noise. Braxton turns 75 in 2020, and one can think of few better gifts than this tribute to his influence. (read more)
Alex Dutilh - FRANCE MUSIQUE (FR): Tropos offers the last iteration of this deep heritage, with striking uniqueness. (read more)
Steve Smith - ON THE RECORD (US): Now, here comes Tropos, a brash young band jointly led by pianist Phillip Golub and drummer Mario Layne Fabrizio. The collective cohesion of this quintet – completed by vocalist Laila Smith, saxophonist Raef Sengupta, and bassist Zachary Lavine – extends to its vivacious interpretations of six Braxton compositions from the early ’70s. Whether navigating the rarefied chamber-music decorum of “23E” and “23H,” the mercurial gestures of “6I,” or the infectious swagger and glide of “40B,” Tropos plays with assurance, charisma, and infectious enthusiasm. (read more)
Tor Hammerø - NETTAVISEN LIVSSTI (NO): There are lots of plants in the jazz-garden. The one presented to us by the American band Tropos is of the extremely rare kind, but without a doubt exciting. (read more)
AVANT MUSIC NEWS (US): Even if Axioms // 75 AB had nothing to do with Anthony Braxton, it would still be a compelling release. But the addition of the Braxton material puts this one over the top. Well done, indeed. (read more)
Ken Waxman - JAZZ WORLD (US): Not only exemplary music, these discs confirm the idea that so-called serious music will be enriched with many more timbral flavors as the 21st Century advances. (read more)
O'S PLACE JAZZ MAGAZINE (US): Shadow Music is the sophomore release from this band of New England Conservatory graduates. [...] Their music is dynamic and expressive in both what they play and what they don’t. They draw inspiration from Braxton, Coleman and Taylor but explore their own imaginations for five appreciably different compositions. It is too early to suggest it’s the best free jazz recordings of the year but this one is certainly up for consideration! (read more)
Mike Shanley - JAZZ TIMES (US): Profile in September 2020 issue (read more)
Phil Freeman - STEREOGUM (US): Tropos are a new group of young improvising musicians out of the New England Conservatory. This is their debut, and they’re making a powerful statement by juxtaposing five pieces they created themselves against six versions of Anthony Braxton compositions from the 1970s. (read more)
Thom Jurek - ALL MUSIC (US): The album's most compelling feature lies in how well Tropos integrate Braxton's influence and intent in the creation of a unique musical identity. With humor, high-powered energy, sudden radical rhythmic and harmonic shifts, and a kinetic range of dynamics, Tropos enthusiastically traverse the murky terrain between the voices of the soloist and the collective. [...] Tropos' Axioms // 75 AB is an auspicious debut, filled with exhilarating energy, charisma, and a canny ability to transform the complex and even inscrutable into sophisticated yet joyful noise. Braxton turns 75 in 2020, and one can think of few better gifts than this tribute to his influence. (read more)
Alex Dutilh - FRANCE MUSIQUE (FR): Tropos offers the last iteration of this deep heritage, with striking uniqueness. (read more)
Steve Smith - ON THE RECORD (US): Now, here comes Tropos, a brash young band jointly led by pianist Phillip Golub and drummer Mario Layne Fabrizio. The collective cohesion of this quintet – completed by vocalist Laila Smith, saxophonist Raef Sengupta, and bassist Zachary Lavine – extends to its vivacious interpretations of six Braxton compositions from the early ’70s. Whether navigating the rarefied chamber-music decorum of “23E” and “23H,” the mercurial gestures of “6I,” or the infectious swagger and glide of “40B,” Tropos plays with assurance, charisma, and infectious enthusiasm. (read more)
Tor Hammerø - NETTAVISEN LIVSSTI (NO): There are lots of plants in the jazz-garden. The one presented to us by the American band Tropos is of the extremely rare kind, but without a doubt exciting. (read more)
AVANT MUSIC NEWS (US): Even if Axioms // 75 AB had nothing to do with Anthony Braxton, it would still be a compelling release. But the addition of the Braxton material puts this one over the top. Well done, indeed. (read more)
Ken Waxman - JAZZ WORLD (US): Not only exemplary music, these discs confirm the idea that so-called serious music will be enriched with many more timbral flavors as the 21st Century advances. (read more)
O'S PLACE JAZZ MAGAZINE (US): Shadow Music is the sophomore release from this band of New England Conservatory graduates. [...] Their music is dynamic and expressive in both what they play and what they don’t. They draw inspiration from Braxton, Coleman and Taylor but explore their own imaginations for five appreciably different compositions. It is too early to suggest it’s the best free jazz recordings of the year but this one is certainly up for consideration! (read more)
Press for dream brigade
Dream Brigade is Phillip's duo project with drummer-composer Lesley Mok. Their self-titled debut release is on Infrequent Seams.
Peter Margasak - THE WIRE (UK): More impressive than such details is the overall rapport and interaction between Golub and Mok, which goes far beyond sound and rhythm into bracing compositional studies. (read more)
David R. Adler - JAZZTIMES (US): Top Jazz Releases, March 2025: In their effortless balance and the acuity of their ideas, Mok and Golub prove to be an inspired pairing. (read more)
John Sharpe - ALL ABOUT JAZZ (US): a striking debut on which the personalities are as important as the instrumentation. (read more)
Steve Smith - NIGHT AFTER NIGHT (US): Individually, pianist Phillip Golub and percussionist Lesley Mok are among the most resourceful and individual composer/performers coming up in New York’s creative-music scene. Together, they’re Dream Brigade, with a compelling new self-titled album coming this Friday on Infrequent Seams that shows what happens when they throw caution to the wind for a set of spontaneous inventions and reconstituted canon, with exhilarating results. (read more)
BANDCAMP: New and Notable: The Brooklyn jazz [duo] dig deep into their stacked improv resumes and experimental smarts on this head-spinning, highly textured LP. (read more)
Rob Shepherd - POSTGENRE (US): Ultimately, Golub and Mok’s approach of dedicating themselves to their craft and following wherever its compass dictates allows statements of the type only master artists can create. Those of introspection, deep reflection, wonder, and empathy. Dream Brigade burns down the status quo while marching forward. (read more)
15 QUESTIONS (US): Interview about improvisation here
Gustavo Carneiro - MONDO VINIL (BR): On each of the album’s eight tracks, the duo delivers free jazz with reflective soundscapes, combining the musical skills of Golub and Mok into a profound and exceptional work. (read more)
David R. Adler - JAZZTIMES (US): Top Jazz Releases, March 2025: In their effortless balance and the acuity of their ideas, Mok and Golub prove to be an inspired pairing. (read more)
John Sharpe - ALL ABOUT JAZZ (US): a striking debut on which the personalities are as important as the instrumentation. (read more)
Steve Smith - NIGHT AFTER NIGHT (US): Individually, pianist Phillip Golub and percussionist Lesley Mok are among the most resourceful and individual composer/performers coming up in New York’s creative-music scene. Together, they’re Dream Brigade, with a compelling new self-titled album coming this Friday on Infrequent Seams that shows what happens when they throw caution to the wind for a set of spontaneous inventions and reconstituted canon, with exhilarating results. (read more)
BANDCAMP: New and Notable: The Brooklyn jazz [duo] dig deep into their stacked improv resumes and experimental smarts on this head-spinning, highly textured LP. (read more)
Rob Shepherd - POSTGENRE (US): Ultimately, Golub and Mok’s approach of dedicating themselves to their craft and following wherever its compass dictates allows statements of the type only master artists can create. Those of introspection, deep reflection, wonder, and empathy. Dream Brigade burns down the status quo while marching forward. (read more)
15 QUESTIONS (US): Interview about improvisation here
Gustavo Carneiro - MONDO VINIL (BR): On each of the album’s eight tracks, the duo delivers free jazz with reflective soundscapes, combining the musical skills of Golub and Mok into a profound and exceptional work. (read more)
Press for Filters & Loop 7 on Greyfade
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Filters and Loop 7 are the first two releases in an ongoing series of loops-based work on the Greyfade label. |
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Loop 7 (2025)
Peter Margasak - THE WIRE (UK): A Satie-esque melody is warped by the unusual tonality, further enhanced by the spare deployment of scordatura electric guitar, microtonal vibraphone, and live electronics. The nuanced variation, with Golub dropping 1/22 of an [octave] with each cycle, makes it so mesmerizing I only hear new sonic portals opening up. (read more)
Chris Ingalls - POPMATTERS (US): Loop 7 is yet another in a series of ambitious experimental projects from Phillip Golub and another stunning home run for Joseph Branciforte’s Greyfade label. Both artists – as well as the musicians who join them here — are devoted to creating music that is complex, engaging, and unique. As is expected, the sound quality is impeccable and meticulous, demanding the listener’s attention while creating an oddly peaceful atmosphere. (read more)
Don Haugen - IGLOO (US): A hypnotic and immersive soundscape that advances Golub’s compositional language and cements Greyfade’s reputation for cutting-edge releases. This is a standout release for both Golub and Greyfade. (read more)
Philip Sherburne - FUTURISM RESTATED (SP): An eerily beautiful piece of music, restful but also unsettling, with the suggestion of something familiar—a memory, a name—shimmering just beyond your grasp. Feels like falling very, very slowly, like sediment, or decaying matter, to the depths of the ocean floor. (read more)
Massimo Ricci - TOUCHING EXTREMES (IT): Another classic Greyfade release, which could undoubtedly appeal to fans of William Basinski’s piano-based output, but also of the more experimental side of Ryuichi Sakamoto and – apropos of crepuscular refractions – of early Gavin Bryars. (read more)
Kev Nickells - FREQ (UK): More magic from the increasingly-necessary Greyfade label. A careful and thoughtful production that leans into what the sounds need, rather than letting the concept carry the piece. Desperately spare and distant additional instruments (vibes, electronics, guitar)… a kind of haunting effect on the resonances of the repeating-not-repeating chords. (read more)
Peter Hollo - UTILITY FOG (AU): The music works because Golub’s sense of how to harmonise in this tuning scheme is so sensitive, and the additional instruments add an almost imperceptible timbral tingle to the sound. It’s a real trip. (read more)
Craig Byrd - CULTURAL ATTACHÉ (US): Golub explores acoustic loops and employs a 22-note per octave tuning system. Those aren’t concepts that usually interest me. Then I played the album. And I played the album. And I played the album. I almost became the loops I was listening to. Because the more time I spent in Golub’s world, the more seduced and excited I became. (read more)
Réjean Beaucage - PANM360 (CA): Astonishing. A deeply original approach which, despite its experimental nature, remains seductive and attractive. (read more)
Richard Allen - A CLOSER LISTEN (US): Dissonance, hum and microtonal repetitions populate Philip Golub‘s Loop 7, the latest release from the Greyfade label. Part of an ongoing project, this latest installment makes use of a 22-note per octave tuning system. (read more)
Luca Giuoco - THE NEW NOISE (IT): Central to Golub's research remains the investigation of the performative act and the definition of the nature of musical interpretation. Loop 7 continues and expands the discourse: if the composition remains anchored to the austere minimalism of Filters, in Loop 7 Golub builds a small and eccentric ensemble and composes using a bizarre alternative version of the tonal system. (read more)
Gilberto Ongaro - BLOG DELLA MUSICA (IT): If we accustom our ears to these chords, we can appreciate the sonic equivalent of new colors. The loop allows us to focus on these… harmonies? Disharmonies? Microharmonies? I don't have the right terms to define these new combinations yet! (read more)
Blair Millen - THE LETTER (UK): With lots of studio trickery involved, technically, it's an extraordinary piece of work. The result is, at once, sombre in its beauty and detached in its sparse narrative. (read more)
Guillermo Escudero - LOOP (CL): In this unique minimalist piece, which incorporates subtle layers of acoustic instruments, Golub creates through repetition, different tones and intensities in the sound of the piano, achieving in the listener a state of trance. (read more)
DATA.WAVE (US): The repetitive structure, supported by live instruments and electronics, creates a hypnotic and meditative atmosphere, but it’s not music for relaxation. It’s better to describe Loop 7 as music for concentration. The mix itself is very delicate and carefully produced, characteristic of all the high-quality releases on Greyfade.
Chris Ingalls - POPMATTERS (US): Loop 7 is yet another in a series of ambitious experimental projects from Phillip Golub and another stunning home run for Joseph Branciforte’s Greyfade label. Both artists – as well as the musicians who join them here — are devoted to creating music that is complex, engaging, and unique. As is expected, the sound quality is impeccable and meticulous, demanding the listener’s attention while creating an oddly peaceful atmosphere. (read more)
Don Haugen - IGLOO (US): A hypnotic and immersive soundscape that advances Golub’s compositional language and cements Greyfade’s reputation for cutting-edge releases. This is a standout release for both Golub and Greyfade. (read more)
Philip Sherburne - FUTURISM RESTATED (SP): An eerily beautiful piece of music, restful but also unsettling, with the suggestion of something familiar—a memory, a name—shimmering just beyond your grasp. Feels like falling very, very slowly, like sediment, or decaying matter, to the depths of the ocean floor. (read more)
Massimo Ricci - TOUCHING EXTREMES (IT): Another classic Greyfade release, which could undoubtedly appeal to fans of William Basinski’s piano-based output, but also of the more experimental side of Ryuichi Sakamoto and – apropos of crepuscular refractions – of early Gavin Bryars. (read more)
Kev Nickells - FREQ (UK): More magic from the increasingly-necessary Greyfade label. A careful and thoughtful production that leans into what the sounds need, rather than letting the concept carry the piece. Desperately spare and distant additional instruments (vibes, electronics, guitar)… a kind of haunting effect on the resonances of the repeating-not-repeating chords. (read more)
Peter Hollo - UTILITY FOG (AU): The music works because Golub’s sense of how to harmonise in this tuning scheme is so sensitive, and the additional instruments add an almost imperceptible timbral tingle to the sound. It’s a real trip. (read more)
Craig Byrd - CULTURAL ATTACHÉ (US): Golub explores acoustic loops and employs a 22-note per octave tuning system. Those aren’t concepts that usually interest me. Then I played the album. And I played the album. And I played the album. I almost became the loops I was listening to. Because the more time I spent in Golub’s world, the more seduced and excited I became. (read more)
Réjean Beaucage - PANM360 (CA): Astonishing. A deeply original approach which, despite its experimental nature, remains seductive and attractive. (read more)
Richard Allen - A CLOSER LISTEN (US): Dissonance, hum and microtonal repetitions populate Philip Golub‘s Loop 7, the latest release from the Greyfade label. Part of an ongoing project, this latest installment makes use of a 22-note per octave tuning system. (read more)
Luca Giuoco - THE NEW NOISE (IT): Central to Golub's research remains the investigation of the performative act and the definition of the nature of musical interpretation. Loop 7 continues and expands the discourse: if the composition remains anchored to the austere minimalism of Filters, in Loop 7 Golub builds a small and eccentric ensemble and composes using a bizarre alternative version of the tonal system. (read more)
Gilberto Ongaro - BLOG DELLA MUSICA (IT): If we accustom our ears to these chords, we can appreciate the sonic equivalent of new colors. The loop allows us to focus on these… harmonies? Disharmonies? Microharmonies? I don't have the right terms to define these new combinations yet! (read more)
Blair Millen - THE LETTER (UK): With lots of studio trickery involved, technically, it's an extraordinary piece of work. The result is, at once, sombre in its beauty and detached in its sparse narrative. (read more)
Guillermo Escudero - LOOP (CL): In this unique minimalist piece, which incorporates subtle layers of acoustic instruments, Golub creates through repetition, different tones and intensities in the sound of the piano, achieving in the listener a state of trance. (read more)
DATA.WAVE (US): The repetitive structure, supported by live instruments and electronics, creates a hypnotic and meditative atmosphere, but it’s not music for relaxation. It’s better to describe Loop 7 as music for concentration. The mix itself is very delicate and carefully produced, characteristic of all the high-quality releases on Greyfade.
Filters (2022)
Chris Ingalls - POPMATTERS (US): Filters is a triumphant solo debut from Phillip Golub and another fascinating entry in greyfade’s catalog. (read more)
James Manheim - ALL MUSIC (US): ★★★★. This is a work that, like the works of the first minimalists, demands a spirit of immersion from the listener, and as with those works, such immersion will be rewarded. (read more)
Larry Blumenfeld - THE WALL STREET JOURNAL (US): Mr. Golub straddles traditions of jazz and contemporary classical music while aligning with no single school of thought. That search has led to fascinating solo works, including 2022’s Filters, for which he composed, performed, and recorded “loops,” and then edited them into a final piece. (read more)
Paul Muller - SEQUENZA 21 (US): A cutting edge album that illustrates how the performer can exert the critical creative input from within the confines of a strictly minimalist framework. Phillip Golub has restored creative primacy to the individual musician, even within the heart of a highly process-oriented music. (read more)
Jarek Grzesica - POLYPHONIA (PL): A new minimalist treasure. (read more)
PHILIP SHERBURNE (SP): If Satie's Vexations had the tenderness of Mompou's Musica Callada, it might come out sounding something like this. Incredible.
Jack Chuter - ATTN: (UK): You can hear [Golub] reaching the same gestures again and again, and how he navigates that feeling of familiarity can become quite uncanny. Pauses that expand and contract really feel like they hold the weight of repetition and its effects on the performer. (read more)
Tyran Grillo - NYC JAZZ RECORD (US): The notes paint an alluring swath of microscopic variations across nominal reiterations. The beauty & sincerity of Golub’s execution are what make this album so welcoming. (read more)
CD HOTLIST (US): There’s a sincerity of intent to Golub’s music that makes it inviting rather than confrontational, even as it rewards close attention to its structure. Highly recommended. (read more)
DATAWAVE (US): Beautiful, environmental, meditative and even romantic, but with some underlying tension inside. It's an excellent album for deep listening. At the same time it could be used for recreation, or as a soundtrack for something contemplative. (read more)
LOOP (CL): Golub, whose music has a minimalist & neat character, works on the formation of piano loops, with a sophisticated technique, like a manual repetition that becomes a kind of ritual, rather than a technological process. (read more)
Frans de Waard - VITAL WEEKLY (NL): Golub is an excellent composer who works in a similar tradition to Erik Satie and Claude Debussy. Simply quiet and beautiful. (read more)
James Manheim - ALL MUSIC (US): ★★★★. This is a work that, like the works of the first minimalists, demands a spirit of immersion from the listener, and as with those works, such immersion will be rewarded. (read more)
Larry Blumenfeld - THE WALL STREET JOURNAL (US): Mr. Golub straddles traditions of jazz and contemporary classical music while aligning with no single school of thought. That search has led to fascinating solo works, including 2022’s Filters, for which he composed, performed, and recorded “loops,” and then edited them into a final piece. (read more)
Paul Muller - SEQUENZA 21 (US): A cutting edge album that illustrates how the performer can exert the critical creative input from within the confines of a strictly minimalist framework. Phillip Golub has restored creative primacy to the individual musician, even within the heart of a highly process-oriented music. (read more)
Jarek Grzesica - POLYPHONIA (PL): A new minimalist treasure. (read more)
PHILIP SHERBURNE (SP): If Satie's Vexations had the tenderness of Mompou's Musica Callada, it might come out sounding something like this. Incredible.
Jack Chuter - ATTN: (UK): You can hear [Golub] reaching the same gestures again and again, and how he navigates that feeling of familiarity can become quite uncanny. Pauses that expand and contract really feel like they hold the weight of repetition and its effects on the performer. (read more)
Tyran Grillo - NYC JAZZ RECORD (US): The notes paint an alluring swath of microscopic variations across nominal reiterations. The beauty & sincerity of Golub’s execution are what make this album so welcoming. (read more)
CD HOTLIST (US): There’s a sincerity of intent to Golub’s music that makes it inviting rather than confrontational, even as it rewards close attention to its structure. Highly recommended. (read more)
DATAWAVE (US): Beautiful, environmental, meditative and even romantic, but with some underlying tension inside. It's an excellent album for deep listening. At the same time it could be used for recreation, or as a soundtrack for something contemplative. (read more)
LOOP (CL): Golub, whose music has a minimalist & neat character, works on the formation of piano loops, with a sophisticated technique, like a manual repetition that becomes a kind of ritual, rather than a technological process. (read more)
Frans de Waard - VITAL WEEKLY (NL): Golub is an excellent composer who works in a similar tradition to Erik Satie and Claude Debussy. Simply quiet and beautiful. (read more)
Other Press
Press for Home Song
- SIGNAL TRIBUNE NEWSPAPER (US): “Home Song” by Phillip Golub, a New York-based composer, weaves the sounds of his home with sung text from an April 20 editorial in The Financial Times about the pandemic and unemployment. Golub’s multi-tiered visual choreography of a Zoom-type call voyeuristically showing him in his kitchen with background television commentary, discordant vocals and piano is gripping. (read more)