Photo of Briana Marela and Sally Decker by Nathan Kosta
Small Tremble In Slow Motion opens as a guided meditation. Through monologue, two storytellers emerge in a non-linear daydream, drifting between poetic cadence and plain spoken narrative. Together they tell a story of grief that shows up in the body before the mind, and engage in the revelation of new aspects of self that are exposed and activated in experiences of loss. These dreamscapes follow the grasping rhythms of the subconscious; words become texture within layers of self-study and self-tending. The final and title track, an improvised performance, offers resolution through a striking shift in tone. In opposition to the reflective, wandering pace of the composed material, the two voices engage in immediate mutual expression. Small Tremble In Slow Motion explores the expansive possibilities of being present with oneself within experiences of deep emotional contraction such as grief and loss.
This album is the result of a collaboration between Sally Decker and Briana Marela throughout the months of February to May of 2021 during a remote artist residency with Qubit in NYC. Small Tremble In Slow Motion was initially conceived as an audio-visual piece and performance. Carrier records released the full length video as part of a showcase of Qubit’s 2021 residencies
The album was released on June 10th 2022, on Surface World. Working with Surface World and artist Madeline Waits, an oracle deck was made and created in response to Small Tremble In Slow Motion. This colorful 22 card deck illustrated by Waits reflects the narrative of the piece and also loosely follows the structure of the Major Arcana. All of the words on the cards are sourced from the text of the piece. The cards join concepts from the piece with Waits’ artwork to serve as portals for reflection. Pulling a card offers a word and image combination to use for personal, creative, and magical practice, while also providing listeners an interactive, non-linear entry into the piece.
Here is the list of shows Sally and I played together in 2022 to celebrate the release:
7/07 Hudson, NY Basilica Hudson
7/08 Brooklyn, NY Art Cake
7/09 Washington, D.C. Rhizome
7/10 Baltimore, MD The Crown
7/11 Philadelphia, PA Vox Populi
7/29 Oakland, CA Martial Arts
8/12 Los Angeles, CA Something Poetic
8/13 Los Angeles, CA Debs Park @Feels Like Floating
8/14 San Francisco, CA Adobe Books
