'A Concise Dictionary of Plants and Their Uses' as reviewed by Stuart Marshall in The Sound Projector :
"Again and again I return to this intriguing mini CD from Sub Loam
(i.e. saxophonist and SP reviewer Thomas Shrubsole), as if it would
yield to me its mysteries, but alas! Swiftly am I ensnared and borne
upon its pulsating airways, yet just as swiftly it’s over! Where fled
those rogue minutes? In this wise, concise designates more than
botanical taxonomy, though both here are central concerns: manifest in
the splicing of Shrubsole’s pithy breath work and the bloom and swirl of
spectral electronic backdrops. Most distinct is this in the first of
the three untitled pieces: multiple rows of delicate, trowel-headed
honks slowly summoning wispy, electroacoustic spirits, while at the same
time suggesting an attitude of horticultural preparation that inspires
me to chop carrots in concert. Tracks two and tree are (even) giddier: a
tiny sax twittering like butterfly wings caught in swerving currents of
pure colour; and finally a slow kaleidoscopic reimagining of all that
has preceded. It’s an unearthing of unearthly sensations that could well
uproot your mental stability. 39 further copies of the CDR are in
existence, all of which are accompanied by a hand-numbered A4-sized
abstract print by the artist."
You can read the original review on TSP website here: http://www.thesoundprojector.com/2014/09/24/natural-kingdoms/
