Cloud To Ground

Minibus Pimps is a duo featuring the legendary John Paul Jones - former bassist in Led Zeppelin - and prolific electronic musician, improviser and producer Helge Sten (Deathprod, Supersilent), which has existed since its first performance in 2011. The debut album Cloud To Ground contains seven tracks all recorded live at different venues, from London's Café Oto to venues in Norway and Denmark. The secret of Minibus Pimps' colossal sonic gas giants is their use of the Kyma computer system (created by Symbolic Sound). Instruments such as guitar, bass and violin are fed into the system and radically transformed by self-designed digital instruments and processors until their sources are barely recognisable. This method continues John Paul Jones's experiments with computer music which began as far back as the late 70s.   With titles referencing what scientists call 'remarkable luminous phenomena in nature', the tracks are scintillating exercises in bending timbres and refracting sound signals. 'Black Aurora' is an electronic suite in four movements, pulsing and hovering like some collapsing dark star.