Fragile

Fragile (www.fragileest.ee) is an Estonian duo by guitarist Robert Jürjendal and drummer Arvo Urb . Their music is mostly improvised, using the pallette of live looping and soundscapes. Fragile has worked together with Riho Sibul, Tõnis Leemets, Lotte Jürjendal, Evelin Saul, David Rothenberg, Tarvi Laaman, Nadia Utkina. Fragile has released 4 CD-s: " Manifest "( Fragile 1998), "Appletree In Osaka" (Klesment KLAP 2000), "Saad "(Fragile 2004), Nadia & Fragile " Uchke ali " (Fragile 2008) Trio Fragile is Fragile's live peformance " art -meets - music" unit, including an artist Tõnu Talve. Trio Fragile puts an effort both to live music and painting process, adding a live video installation. Fragile recent project is an improvisational collaboration together with Toyah Willcox, Chris Wong and Markus Reuter under the name This Fragile Moment. CD will be released in Nov 2009! ------------------------------------------------------------ -----------------------------Read a review: ------------------------------------------------------------ ----------------------------- Fragile - " Manifest " ( 1998, CD ) Don't think you can judge this book by its cover. With a name like Fragile you'd think you'd have this Estonian duo pegged, but you'd be so wrong. Led by guitarist/composer Robert Jürjendal, Fragile are something of an enigma. Considering that guitars and drums are the only conventional instruments used, the rest of the sound made up by of electronic and and tape effects, one might come to the conclusion that their experimentalism would make that " difficult " music, yet it's a good deal more accessible than one would otherwise think.While a lot of prog-rock albums slowly build in intensity to a climatic finale, Fragile choose to go comletely the other direction with Manifest, starting off on a tense, Djam Karet-ish rock note with " Sitting Bull " and gradually growing more etheral and spacious as the album is like a gentle echo of what came before; soft treated guitar and effects at a low volume. Eno's ambient experiments , for example Discreet Music, seem to be obvious influence here. Ex-In Spe/ Kaseke drummer Arvo Urb contributes one track to the album, the 16-minute minimalist pulse piece " Moon On The Wane ", which rather resembles a Stephen Reich composition for rock band. Fragile are one of the most individialistic and vital groups currently working in this ambient mode,and while they won'nt win fans across the board,fans of Eno, Belew-period King Crimson and Djam Karet, for example, will find much to look forward to in " Manifest ". A most auspicious debut.- Mike Ohman