First Man in The Moon is the collaborative album between Detroit-based guitarist Norman Westberg (better known for his work with Swans) and Polish contrabassist and composer Jacek Mazurkiewicz. It is out now via Lucerne based label Hallow Ground. According to the press release, the pair finds common ground beyond the boundaries of atmospheric drone, abstract jazz and experimental music and blurs the lines between the acoustic and the electronic.
The two first met when the composer Mazurkiewicz supported Swans with his solo project 3FoNIA on their 2014 European tour. “I really enjoyed his approach,” says Westberg about the Polish musician’s blending of the acoustic qualities of his instrument with electronically generated sounds. A decision to collaborate was made and when the US-American musician returned to Eastern Europe to support Michael Gira on his solo tour in late 2019, Mazurkiewicz reached out to him with the idea of booking some studio time before Gira’s two concerts in Warsaw. “Recording was very fun and easy,” remembers Westberg. “It was just two people enjoying hearing and reacting to what the other is doing.”
Check the full streaming below.