By the time King Crimson arrived at Real World Studios to record THRAK most of the material had been played-in at a series of concerts in Argentina. Compared to other songs and pieces that appear on THRAK however, Walking On Air had only been performed a couple of times.
This alternative take from the sessions reveals a song that’s still in the process of finding its final shape and form. Trey Gunn’s embellishments around Levin’s undulating bass figure are drop-dead gorgeous. In concert, Trey’s work was often undermixed and/or overlooked. In this stripped-back setting, his playing is heard in exquisite close detail before he’s joined by Fripp’s diaphanous cloudscapes.
Gently propelled in part by Bruford on the same slit drum he used on The Sheltering Sky, the still-provisional nature of the song is emphasised when we hear Adrian call out “E” to usher the song to its conclusion.
This alternative take from the sessions reveals a song that’s still in the process of finding its final shape and form. Trey Gunn’s embellishments around Levin’s undulating bass figure are drop-dead gorgeous. In concert, Trey’s work was often undermixed and/or overlooked. In this stripped-back setting, his playing is heard in exquisite close detail before he’s joined by Fripp’s diaphanous cloudscapes.
Gently propelled in part by Bruford on the same slit drum he used on The Sheltering Sky, the still-provisional nature of the song is emphasised when we hear Adrian call out “E” to usher the song to its conclusion.