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.
1. are you there
2. bottled
3. the things I can’t talk about
4. all I ever heard
5. I like to disintegrate
6. chasing the quiet
7. stay
8. let’s dance somewhere else
The process of recording TURMOIL began six years ago, with the idea of capturing improvisational energy into single musical themes for each track. I wanted to highlight the classical and traditional essence of the instruments while placing them in a disruptive sonic context. During the journey, I became interested in using my voice as a percussive tool. The idea was inspired by my father, a percussionist as well, who often sang and mumbled to himself while drumming. I sought to explore this further as a musical and emotional element. I think somehow that vocal tone can express as much as words can, or at least carry a basic essence. Fear. Paranoia. Fragility. Aggression. The album is driven by those feelings of pressure, uncertainty, being stuck, and the urge to give birth to something.
