Agustí Fernández/Ingar Zach – Germinal 

Catalogue number: PSPCD708
Release date: July, 2008 

Germinal is the result of the first musical meeting between the spanish pianist, Agustí Fernández, and Norwegian percussionist, Ingar Zach. The release is also the first time the label Plastic Strip moves into contemprorary improvisation music, but when it first got these subliminal recordings in hands, genre or style didn’t matter.

Fernández and Zach had been talking for a long time to initiate a collaberation, and finally the occasion was there during Ingar's visit in Barcelona in March 2006. Agustí and Ingar recorded for about four hours, and the music they recorded is absolutely "Germinal" (see Agusti`s breaking down of the term under). The release has a genuine, personal character, and the total spectrum of sounds that are being presented, melts together like one instrument. The musicians focus, makes you think that the two are in possession of a common, unique approach to listening. The music flows in many directions, free of boundaries and genres.

The release comes in a 4- page digipack with pictures by the Norwegian contemprorary artist Magnus Bjerk, pressed in a limited number of 500 copies only.

Reasons for a title by Agustí Fernández 

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1. Firstly, Germinal (from the Latin germen, seed) refers to a seed that germinates, is transformed, and the ability that things have to develop. There are also cells known as germline cells which contain the genetic material that is transmitted to the next generation. And I see our music as being highly germinal, in the sense that it is organic, evolving unstoppably from the tiny initial seed and developing in a completely natural way.

2. Germinal is also a man's name in Spain. It was popular in the early-20th century, when Spanish anarchists formed the world's social vanguard. For them, Germinal was a symbol of freedom, of faith in people, of hope for a future when people would be free of the bonds ofpower. Then came the Civil War, Franco and the rest. But those ideas remained in people's hearts. I myself have met several men named Germinal, descendants of those early anarchists.

3. Germinal is also the title of Émile Zola's famous novel, a passionate, powerful denouncement of exploitation and oppression that no doubt helped to inspire many Spanish anarchists.

4. Long ago, moreover, Germinal was the name given in France to the month from mid-March to mid-April as part of the French Revolution's attempt to rename the months of the year and establish a new republican calendar.

5. As the title of the first recording by a new group, I think that Germinal bodes well.

6. Finally, I also think the name Germinal suits the dog on the cover very well.
 

Tracklist:

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1. Volutas

2. Hojarasca

3. Arcano

4. Es la nieve sobre el mar

5. Hidromiel

6. Capaz de luz

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