|
|
|
The answer must on the whole be a hearty yes – of the 32 tracks presented here (yes 32!), there is such an abundance of ideas that most artists would struggle to come up with as many across several of their own discs. Each track seems to act as an audio snapshot of memories from the artists past, yet each is neatly bundled within intriguing soundscapes, along with the most cutting-edge of IDM. Just as flashbacks occur to regular people, these occur within the tracks (many of which hover around the one-minute and a half mark), creating some kind of aural identity, before vanishing again. It’s impossible to get bored, not just due to the shortness of the tracks, but the ever-changing nature of the tracks themselves – it is very rare you will hear any form of repetition of sound at all. Maybe because of this, the tracks are thoroughly engaging throughout, with many memorable moments. Some of the highlights have to be “Venice Williams Paperclip”, with it’s melancholy keys underpinned by an almost mouse-like squeaking rhythm, with a topping of Carribean steel drums to finish. There is a semi-big-beat styling on “Grand Coulee Dam”, and an amazing array of sounds (not unusual to most of the tracks here). My undoubted favourite is the electronic ditty of “Pilgrim Rise”, an amazing contrast of styles that at first sounds absurd, but on later listens makes you wonder why nobody had thought of it earlier! Overall, this is one of the most satisfying albums I have heard in a long, long time – maybe a small criticism could be that some of the ideas are not allowed to flesh out further, with a lot of the tracks appearing to be crazily short. As this is a concept album though, and thus like an aural scrapbook, we can let it slide! The ideas are amazing, the sounds chosen and worked into the tracks are exemplary, and the production is top-notch. Without a question of doubt this is an intensely satisfying and ingenious peace of work – expect to see it on many "best of" lists come year end; mine included. MIKE WHYTE |
|
