Turmoil is the second solo album by percussionist Joss Turnbull, a work that captures an intense journey of self-expression through sound. With Turmoil, Turnbull delves into a world of uncertainty and tension. He stretches and destabilizes rhythms, distorting them almost to the point of disappearance between restraint and release. He uses live sampling and live electronic effects on his hand drums, pairing them with his breath and voice as percussive tools to create clusters of knocking and hissing tones. The album's opening track, 'are you there,' pulls you into a vast and disorienting sonic world of warping, fuzzy drums, breathing, and bells, while 'things I can’t talk about' embodies a quiet struggle and dissolution through snapping recoils of Tombak fragments and layers of lulling vocal snippets. Turmoil is an immersive listening experience revealing both a deeply personal reflection and a universal exploration of what it means to exist in a world full of pressure, disorientation, and the fictions we live by. The album is a testament to Turnbull's unique voice as a percussionist and a liminal figure, challenging conventions and seeking a sound that is unpredictable, honest, and deeply engaging.
Line-up
Joss Turnbull
Tombak, Zarb-e Zurkhane, Reqq, Mazhar, tremmolo stick, brushes, chains, rubber-stick, breath, voice, sampler, pedals
Credits
Recording: Joss Turnbull
Mix: Constantin Carstens, Joss Turnbull
Digital Master: Constantin Carstens
Vinyl Master and cut: Rashad Becker at clunk studios
Cover Design: Simon Mellnich, Joss Turnbull
Turmoil is music about struggling, uncertainty and tension
composed and performed by Joss Turnbull on electro-acoustic percussion