Herd - Tangents 1- 19 - (FSOR 008)

Label: Future Sound of Rhytym
Artist: Herd
Release: Tangents 1-19
URL: http://www.archive.org/details/herd_-_tangents_1_-_19
Rating: 6.2/10

Herd from Corby, Northamptonshire provides the 8th release on Future Sound of Rhythm called Tangents 1-19, a sprawling 19 tracker of ambiance released in February. For people unfamiliar with FSOR, their previous releases have been pretty varied in sound and also in quality, falling under the wide bracket of electronic music.

The first things that strike you about 'Tangents' is the subtle use of orchestral sounds and atmospherics. The tracks, in time honoured ambient tradition, are drenched in reverb and echo with non committal melodies more hinted at than played explicitly. The tracks are very emotive and run into each other which is the most agreeable way to consume this record.

There is a coherency to the tracks and they fit together adequately but perhaps stretch the attentions span at times, though, that is more to do with the genre than an particular fault of Herd. He makes good use of stereo, using small tricks to make his swirly synths stand out. As mentioned, the tracks and essentially a lot of the ideas run into each other and are repeated sometimes from track to track, which most probably explains the title. There are times when it steps out from the established sound; track 6's plucked melody and refined string are a particular highlight, likewise the shaker in tracks 7 provides some movement and directness to proceedings.

As an overall piece it doesn't lack direction and as it really swells and grows as time goes on, the melodies get more sophisticated though they are borne from a similar palette. Track 8 has touches of Amber era Autechre, with a light echoey piano sitting perfectly with sounds that wouldn't be out of place on the Blade Runner sound track. Indeed, by track 10, there is a sci-fi soundtrack feel which is enhanced by some excellent use of delay. Much is to be admired in the artists ability to place sounds creatively in the mix and his wise choice of elements that complement each other perfectly. One major criticism would be the percussive elements; though low in the mix and not integral to the tracks they are too static and fairly unambitious.

The last third or so of the album does have a few interesting tricks left in it; track 11 stand outs with its pitch descending melody, shuffling resonance and bits and pieces of melody falling around it. tracks 16s arped melody also piques the interest before the album winds down with a satisfying bell like melody.

There are a lot of positive things to say about this album but in a crowded reverby sea of electronic ambient music its difficult to strike a claim to a unique voice. There are times when the tracks do capture the imagination but equally there are times when it all just seems to grey and your mind and hands wander towards the skip button. Brian Eno once talked of his fear that that ambient music would become to simple to make with technological advancements and with programs like metaphysical, released a few years back by native instruments being able to produce pretty breathtaking ambient results with a few minor tweaks or the randomize button, the genre has been cheapened somewhat. Its hard to think of too many ambient records in recent years that could be truly considered absolutly vital, but if you like ambient music this record at times steps above its peers and sounds very beautiful.

Label: Biodata
Artist: Various
Release: VA Causa Peruana
URL: http://www.biodata.microbiorecords.net/blog/?cat=2
Rating: 7.3/10

Meridas (Venezuela) Biodata have been established since 2001 knocking out release after release of weird, experimental electronic music. This Sampler gives a good idea of what they are about. The range of music is truly varied, oscillating from the wild, heavily-processed-to-the-point-of-being-borderline-unlistenable 'Codigo ASCOO' by Christina Galarreta to the the slight, clicky atmospherics of Gabriel Castillo, it starts out as it means to go on. Its hard to escape the futility of writing about often other worldly music like this, there's no immediate reference points to fall back on, while the regular framework for criticism doesn't really apply too easily to songs are motivated by different goals. Also, for me, samplers are definitely a case of function over form, and in some ways this is suitable for the biodata ethos, as the basic thread that links these tracks is, quite simply, uniqueness and experimentation as against genre or sound. As mentioned, the scope and range of tracks on this LP are huge. Obviously some of the experiments cover ground that has been charted before over years, and others you feel are perhaps better understood by the processes in which they were made rather than by their end result.

The acts represented on this release could be broken up into two different camps based on approach and output. The noisy, digital overdrive of acts like Godinez, Jab Lemur and Rolando Apolo are highly impressive as sound design pieces, especially Godinez's 'el rincon de box' which mangles a live bass and presents it in an unexpected way. Ramping the volume up and down, its nightmarish and suffocating with beats that are more suggested than heard, its a complete mess really, but absolutely compelling. Lemur and Rolando tap into the same vein with their tracks, which might be considered more abstruse than the others, their sound design proving really affecting and discomforting. Similar in theme, and a contender for the albums stand out is 'Metastatis Tubulares'. Its one of the albums more paranoid work outs; a violin as the centrepiece, spitting out a creepy discordant melody, then when an second violin accompanies it, its so disorientating but listenable that when it closes with an odd pan pipe and man talk-rapping it seems entirely reasonable.

Another camp could be the softer more ambient and effectively less intense end. Omar Lavalle and Naiadra Muriantica provide ambient soundscapes which drift along competently, if unspecularly, before Muriantica's '03 (Arcadia Archaea)' takes a left turn with a truly sinister ending. Wilder Gonazalez provides the samplers closer with a nice, yet somewhat unmemorable wrap up. 'Dectrogeno' by Terocal's soft melody and prominent toms glisten in clean production which allows lots of space and reflection before an outstanding clippy end.

However, what really cement this samplers memorable singularity are a collection of tracks that really stand out on their own due to a mix of different elements. There is a salsa feeling to Pulso Adolescente's upbeat and playful rhythms while Lujan crosses a phone call with a salsa groove to created a strange atmospheric piece that works in a weird way that it really shouldn't. Similar to these in scope are Kollantes and Ticas respective contributions 'Liberenatahualpa' and 'Pajaros De Miel Con Un Cielo Adentro'. 'Liberenatahualpa' is one of the more coherent moments on the album, with first rate and precise beats accompanying a soft organic melody, it is soft and beautiful with crisp production. 'Pajaros De Miel Con Un Cielo Adentro' might be the most accessible of the samplers tracks but it too shimmers with uniqueness. Tica supplies a touching melodic line that is so dreamlike and haunting before a soft whispered voice pushes it to a late night emotional breaking point. It is nothing but delicate and perfect.

An excellent release by an interesting label with one eye on the future and the other on pushing the envelope.

Exegonal - Epicoteque

Label: Swishcotheque
Artist: Exegonal
Release: Epicoteque
URL: http://www.swishco.co.uk/release.php?id=45
Rating: 6/10

Exegonal's release on Swishcotheque, Epicotque, immediately seems to be taking a play out of Aaron Funk's diverse playbook. It soon becomes clear, however, that the play is executed with skill and taste. While it is derivative, it's very tight, and its technical and thematic merits speak for themselves.

The theme of Epicoteque lives somewhere between Last Step and Winter in the Belly of a Snake. It is horror and sci-fi, alien and perverted. It's the soundtrack to the sort of uncanny, sourceless fright that only nightmares bring. It's much less apt to the distortion and technical freakouts of Venetian Snares, and instead demonstrates a strong sense of care and compositional discipline. You never see the monster, but you know that it's around every corner, and that it's unimaginably horrible.

The first track, Gam1, is a short piece that recalls wind chimes, though detuned and more carefully rung, as if by a clever and mal-intentioned wind. It serves as a great foreshadowing of the next four tracks.

In Pighead Demons, the second track, Exegonal makes use of an image-to-sound tool that treats images as spectrums to encode them into sound. If you're familiar with Aphex Twin's Windowlicker, you've heard the effect, and may have heard about the image of a face that's encoded into the track. You may have sought it out and seen it yourself. It's a trick that was fresh then, but it hasn't aged well.

Here, in Pighead Demons, it's similarly (and distractingly) used to encode a "hidden" image into the track. In that moment where the image is encoded, while the watery, morphing chirps are playing out, untreated, with no accompanying instruments, you're left thinking, "do I fire up the spectrum analyzer to see what the image is? ...Nah, can't be bothered..." and then the track rolls on. It breaks the immersion in an otherwise excellent track. The tool is used extremely well, however, as a melodic element throughout the track, when used to encode spectrum images that are meant to end up as notes. The treated chords sound like an alien organ, and mix well with the skittery percussion, acidy synth lines, and atmospheric melodies for a surreal, spooky action ride.

Discount is the highlight of the release. After an atmospheric section with synth piano and comparatively mellow analog beats comes an acid explosion that maintains the drama while quickening the pace. Near the end of an interlude of saw synths and heavy delay, ominous strings fade back in and another acidy payoff brings the track to a close.

FunkyMicroMan starts weakly, with beats and acid lines that aren't engaging enough to carry the track. The strings from Discount return, but the chords this time are less inspired and don't help out the other struggling instruments. The final third of the track picks up, though, with funky panning beats and powerful, rocking synth riffs.

NION - E closes out the EP, and is also on the weak side, especially its second half. The bass line there plods along in a happy-go-lucky way that counters the EP's tone, the beat falls in line and plods as well, and, while the main melody sometimes agrees with the bass, it seems to have ideas of its own that don't mix well. This main melody is the lone voice in the end, but it doesn't have much to say.

Overall, Epicoteque is a strong-willed and engaging EP, though there are lapses and weak points. It is derivative, but in the end it holds its own, and there are moments of brilliance that make the release feel unique.

KR