High confidence rec for you Walt...might even be a no brainerOriginally Posted by walt
best
m
High confidence rec for you Walt...might even be a no brainer
best
m
If it ain't acousmatique-It's crap
We shall see.The samples on the ED label page for this cd interest me enough to take the plunge.
"please do not understand me too quickly"-andre gide
Woo-hoo! I'm back online for the first time in 2 weeks. Those good old boys running things in Texas just about killed me here in Austin (no power, no water, but thankfully, no broken pipes and my old car somehow survived driving on snow and ice), but I'm back now and looking forward to hearing these new samples/pieces...
Hey Rick,
I was wondering why you haven't commented on the last two write-ups...but now it makes sense because you often referenced UNI in TX...I should have made the connection. I'm really glad you checked in, and hopefully you got your essentials back!!! Good news about the car, at least there was that. Amazing at the things we take for granted these days and hopefully things are only going to get better.
best
Michael
If it ain't acousmatique-It's crap
Natasha Barrett... I've had an album of hers for years called "Rocks and Wraiths"; she's very good and has a very distinctive style. I'd never heard this album "Isostasie" before; it's also very good. I'll listen to the Parra tomorrow...
yeah, Rocks & Wraiths is good, most of pieces on that album were released on 2017's Puzzle Wood which you can find streaming on iTunes (and probably Spotify). As great as the two albums released on empreintes DIGITALES are (Isostasie and Bouteilles de Klein), my favorites are not on that label but on the Norwegian label Aurora. Those two are Kraftfelt and Trade Winds and are essential if you are going to start listening to her. FYI, I do plan on doing a write-up on Bouteilles in the next few days.
I hold Barrett in pretty high regard because, out of the many Acousmatic records I've listened to, hers have the most spatialization to them. It's pretty much her speciality and they are a real trip to listen to, both in good phones or on a surround system in the case of Trade Winds, Kraftfelt, and Bouteilles. She's got her process down to an art.
Her field recordings and micro climates sound sources provide phenomenal raw material for her to work her magic on. You usually know what you are listening to, but she elevates the sounds (for instance, a deep sea drilling rig) to beyond epic proportions. When she is though tweaking the sound sources, the drama quotient is magnified to bombastic proportions!
She has re-located to Oslo from her native England several years ago, and she makes good use of her natural surrounds. She has also started a Bandcamp page and so far has two pieces up, both recorded binaurally.
best
Michael
If it ain't acousmatique-It's crap
Natasha Barrett – Bouteilles de Klein (2010; empreintes DIGITALes)
This double disc set which is in DVD audio and various surround formats will give you a huge helping (over 3 hours) of Natasha Barretts sound world. Here we have large scale fixed medium pieces, shorter works of her “micro climates” installations and, as far as I’m concerned, the reason to own this set, two larger scale installation pieces. This write-up is based on stereo listening through earbuds but I have experienced these works in surround and it’s truly mind blowing.
Natasha Barrett is very adept at presenting “the whole” sound. You may know and recognize the various sources, whether natural, or man made, but she takes them to the limits of imagination. For example, a simple, very benign sound of water dripping, raindrops falling, a gently moving stream or a breeze are transformed into larger than life, macro events. Sometimes she’ll leave these sounds relatively unprocessed but recorded in such an isolated way that what you are hearing is not just a rain drop or a stream…but the very essence of that rain drop or stream. Other times she may start off by telling us what we are hearing by leaving the sound naked but then proceed to deconstruct and, basically tweak the hell out of it, resulting in something altogether different and very alien. Either technique succeeds greatly in transforming these pieces into a rich, drama-filled soundscape.
Once again, the concept of sound spatialization (sounds occupying a physical space in time) is on full display here. At the risk of sounding like a broken record (if you’ve read any of my other write-ups), active, attentive listening through headphones is the best way to listen to her and other composers working in this niche. When the sound is identified in the physical space, it may stay there for a while or possibly dissipate into nothingness, or Barrett might move it around the (3D) soundstage. Whatever her artistic choices are, once your mind comes to grips with the sound location in space, the appreciation level of her music escalates skywards.
Her non installation, fixed medium pieces on Bouteilles de Klein are excellent. Avoid Being Eaten by Mimicking Other Less Palatable Species is a fascinating riot of animal sounds (and possibly some unfortunate human cretins engaging in mimicry that the title warns against) that torpedos your head into breathless submission. It’s all fun and games till someone ends up in a cone…right? Mobilis in Mobili originally appeared on her album Trade Winds as part of a much larger scale Acousmatic concept work, but here it’s truncated down to about 6 minutes and seems to be remastered with less subsonics and clearer, crisper sound. This is one of my favorite pieces in her entire catalog and since the sea shanty seems to be a thing on social media lately, then this is timely. Violent seas, crashing waves, splintered wood, wrecked ships, massive church organ chords, the futile chants of sailors battling the elements as Father Neptune impales their helpless souls on his barnacled encrusted trident as they give up their ghosts…yeah, here are your sea shanties you poor unsuspecting Tik Tokker’s (smirk). Here is the longer Trade Winds version:
Ok, moving on to a (relatively) kinder and gentler Barrett, we get to her four shorter installation pieces which she calls Micro Climates. These are short studies of various natural habitats in Norway with the composer distilling down to the very base elemental qualities of the region. Even though I found the liner notes for these very interesting, unfortunately they acted like a “spoiler” that led my minds eye to visualize the area as described. That's fine, but if you are inclined to make your own movies, leave the notes behind, it might make the excursion that much more trippy.
Next, there is the Sub Terra Cycle. This consists of three short installation pieces plus one longer (16 minutes) concert piece. The Sub Terra Cycle, as the name suggests depicts the sound of the Earth. As the composer states, “Under earth, the roar, the grate and the prickling delicacy of sound resounding beneath us". As in her Micro Climates, the three short works transports and transforms the listener to something much more personal than a spectator. What you hear is presented in such a visceral manner that, for example, you are part of the elevator shaft that takes you down to the Kongsberg silver mines. You become a cog in the heavy machinery that is drilling down 32 meters in the Oslo fjord, and finally, you become a grain of sand sized conscience observer on a Norwegian holiday beach. The 16 minute concert piece simply titled Sub Terra explodes with mechanical energy and geological chaos, all beautifully manipulated to achieve maximum dramatic effect. It’s a stunning piece that needs to be heard loud! Here is a short 4 minute live extract that is provided to give you the feel of the piece, but out of context is not an optimal representation.
Finally, there is the Barely project. Per the composer, these are meant to be listened to at “barely” perceptual volume levels in which they can trigger different physical and/or emotional reactions in different listeners. Depending on the individual, each listener at this level will pick up and/or react differently to the very highly detailed nature of these recordings. I have personally listened to these recordings numerous times at a “normal” volume and only recently listened at the “barely perceptual” volume the composer recommends. Each experience was very different and moving forward, I’ll most likely compromise somewhere between the two.
Gentle Sediment (Barely: Part-3) is indeed a highly detailed Acousmatic piece. Over the course of it’s nine minutes, it slowly morphs in mood and texture but retains a basic drone-like character. Sounds get introduced, manipulated and disappear, only to be reanimated later in the piece. It’s a wonderful slow moving meander though parts unknown. Rhizaria (Barely: Part-4) explores the sound world of a very close mic’ed cello which is processed in real time by Barrett. Typically, sounds like this are not noticed in a live setting, but because of the recording technique they are brought out into stark light. Last, (but definitely not least) there is the 40 minute Barely: (Part-1). This is an installation work set up in Oslo Norway, housed in a WWII German artillery factory. Without getting too far into the technical weeds of the how and why this piece was realized, (if interested, there are detailed notes on Barretts blog http://www.natashabarrett.org/barely-fulltext.html) I can say that for me, this is the high point of the entire package. The piece starts out with extrinsic noises (visitors chatting in the installation, outside noises, etc.) which eventually fade out and are eclipsed by a “barely” ambient drone like sound that also fades out only to make itself known again at various points throughout. Overlaid on top of this is a constant march of “barely” audible sonic minutiae, origin unknown. In the last month, I’ve listened to this piece about 4 or 5 times and each time is like hearing it anew. Imagine taking a slow boat ride down a still black river on a moonless, windless, arid night…around every curve lurks menace and invisible perils. Unable to avoid whats coming, you capitulate to whatever force is guiding your small craft and brave the unknowable. Barely: (Part-1) is certainly one of the most interesting Acousmatic works in my collection, at times uneasy, if not downright disturbing but ultimately fascinating.
Bouteilles de Klein is a dense and demanding listen. This may not be for the casual/curious fan of Acousmatic music but if you are up for the challenge, it will reward you many times over. This release comes highly recommended!
best
Michael
If it ain't acousmatique-It's crap
Hey all,
Not trying to intentionally bump this thread but just wanted to let any who cares know that electrocd.com has a 31% off sale (to celebrate their 31st birthday) going on till 4/2/2021. It's for physical product only, so I loaded up with some surrounds!!!
best
Michael
If it ain't acousmatique-It's crap
Played it with quiet and concentration, on headphones and dug it big time.It's "human" and approachable music and it more than merits further listening to unveil more of itself, as challenging and wonderful music as this often does.
Thanks for turning me on to this and the Paul Dolden.
"please do not understand me too quickly"-andre gide
That is high praise...thanks for taking the chance on it. Also, glad you used the words "Human" and "Approachable" too because even though this field is sort of mired in academia (which is something that I for one would love to see change and I know there are others...composers even feel the same way) the end result is really just a personal listening experience like any other kind of music. It either works or it doesn't..but sometimes the theories and concepts that prop this music up tend to get a little ivory tower-ish and techno-geek-esqe.
Honestly, all that crap can be ignored, the point of it is to listen without caring how it was created and just surrendering to it, letting your mind do the rest. I just listened to a Zoom presentation with Francis Dhomont and when asked about if technology somehow informs his composition process...he plays it down saying it's secondary and just a means to an end to realize other bigger themes or ideas in his head that he wants to bring forth in a sonic or musical fashion.
thanks again Walt!
best
Michael
If it ain't acousmatique-It's crap
Well, thanks to you and this sale I've now purchased the Arturo Parra, two Dolden's, and Ake Parmerud's Necropolis.
Please don't ask questions, just use google.
Never let good music get in the way of making a profit.
I'm only here to reglaze my bathtub.
Awesome HCB!! I really hope you'll enjoy them...I think you will.
Interested to know what you think...especially about the Parmerud, which I have very little of.
I've taken a slight detour from reviewing releases from this label because there has been newer stuff I wanted to get to...but I'll be back shortly with a Gilles Gobeil write up
(I can hear the collective gasp of "oh NOOOOOOO" from here)
best
Michael
Last edited by neuroticdog; 04-06-2021 at 11:27 AM.
If it ain't acousmatique-It's crap
I really like the Parra samples, so this was an easy choice. I was a little bit more on the fence with Dolden, but with the sale I figured it was worth the risk. I only listened to the samples from Parmerud because I like the word Necropolis.But they drew me in, so again, with the sale it was worth it. And will do, re: Necropolis.
Please don't ask questions, just use google.
Never let good music get in the way of making a profit.
I'm only here to reglaze my bathtub.
AMN Reviews: Three from Gilles Gobeil – Trois Songes (2008; empreintes DIGITALes), Trilogie d’ondes (2005; empreintes DIGITALes), Le contrat (with René Lussier) (2003; empreintes DIGITALes)
Part 1
I recently revisited the six albums I have from Gilles Gobeil and for the life of me, couldn’t decide which one to single out for a write-up. I consider all of them excellent with a few of them reaching the “beyond excellence” level for me. So instead of agonizing about it, I decided to spout some words about the three in the “beyond” category.
Gobeil was influenced by (among others) Francis Dhomont and works primarily in the Acousmatic sphere. His music fits the cinéma pour l’oreille (cinema for the ear) genre, a phrase coined by Dhomont which encourages the attentive listener to visualize their own personal virtual environment or mood from the sounds they are hearing, irrespective of the tools and gestures used to create those sounds. Gobeil’s style is instantly recognizable because he frequently revisits sound objects and events that include (and this is not an exhaustive list)…jarringly loud, explosive passages lasting only moments and coming from seemingly out of nowhere, automated heavy machine-like sounds, huge dynamic build-ups providing at times unbearable tension (sometimes without release), sweeping sonic drone vistas that range from the beautiful to the downright sinister and…an occasional element of humor. (Although that last one is few and far between.) Gobeil’s skill at organizing the patchwork of sounds at his disposal is exemplary, making the final result a tactile listening experience that beckons many repeat visits.
Let's get to the albums…
Trois Songes, the 2008 release is available in stereo and also 5.1 surround. As per empreintes DIGITALes standards, both sound sonically pristine and quite excellent. The surround version is mixed conservatively, i.e. there isn’t a constant swirl of sounds flowing through the room. This subtle use of 5.1 compliments the music perfectly…it’s there at the “right” time, and when it does become noticeable, it adds a very satisfying aural dimension to the music. To be clear, the stereo version sounds phenomenal as well, in fact the rest of these comments will be based on a stereo listening using my preferred earbud rig.
Trois Songes stands apart from the rest of his catalog as its much more drone based. For the most part, the three pieces give us more of an introspective, nature based look at the big blue sphere we live on. A look that is untethered from the mechanical automations of everyday urban life.
On Trois Songes, Gobeil paints a vast and sweeping portrait of barren, earthly landscapes, rocky vistas, white sands. Places untouched by the trappings of modern living…mostly devoid of life other than the occasional nomadic wanderer. We are witnesses to the sacred liturgical chanting of now shallow praises from a long forgotten religion. The devout believers confined to a walled garden, crying out to an unhearing demiurge. An earth that time has left behind. A dying earth perhaps?
This celebration of nature's grandeur is soon disrupted…like a velvet curtain, night falls and Gaia departs, leaving us to grope our way through an alien desert. The crawling, unsightly sound of the Daxophone (a recurring appearance throughout many of Gobeil’s pieces thanks to his association with Rene Lussier) worms its way into our listening space. An ugly, dying, but at the same time beautiful sound…perhaps giving us a window into our eventual end. All the while, the greater gods churn and seethe above us…uncaring.
Trois Songes is an evocatively gorgeous work. A work that beautifully demonstrates Gobeil’s singular style of cinéma pour l’oreille and one that I revisit often. Here is the first piece from the album, the epic Ombres, espaces, silences.
Continuing the three song motif, we now come to Trilogie d’ondes. Here Gobeil collaborates with Ondes Martenot virtuoso Suzanne Binet-Audet. Like an earlier empreintes DIGITALes release that marries the classical guitar with various Acousmatic composers (see my write-up here), Trilogie d’ondes achieves the same great synergies between Gobeil’s tape generated maneuvers and the most disparate instrument you can think of, the Ondes Martenot. As you can probably guess by now, it works!
The following quote by Binet-Audet may give some clues as to why this partnership sounds so great (Bolding mine):
“More electronic instruments have been invented since and are now omnipresent in our musical universe. Because of its sensory approach closely linked to the performer’s nervous system and its flexibility that allows it to respond to the performer’s slightest musical intention, the Martenot remains unlike any other. It is often considered a forerunner of today’s electronic instruments, but it is actually somewhat of a slightly eccentric colleague:*the rationale behind its creation keeps it closer to the great instrument-making tradition. That is probably why it made it through the 20th century and is still being included in new compositions. Thanks to its 80-year history and large and rich repertoire, the Martenot has obviously secured itself a spot in music history.”
Like all the great Acousmatic composers, Gobeil’s ability to organize sounds into a cohesive whole that allows the participant (you) to create their own visual/virtual/visceral narrative demands that these sounds interact with your Limbic system. Being a disinterested outsider really doesn’t cut it when you listen to this music. Engagement, on a mental, and as stands to reason, a physical level is key. My bolded part above plays into what may have been the reason this pairing sounds so good. Doubting that both musicians were in the room at the same time, I’m going to hazard a guess that Gobeil supplied Binet-Audet his material, and she composed around that. I can very well imagine, as Binet-Audet was contributing her parts, the soundscapes that Gobeil created tapped into her Limbic system allowing her to “bring the music” to the Ondes Martenot by way of the sensory approach that she mentions above. I can also imagine a live performance which would be a very interesting juxtaposition of her gestures on the Martenot triggered off the synthetic material created by her partner. So, instead of machine triggering machine, the approach would be human triggering machine (Gobeil), triggering human, triggering instrument (Binet-Audet). In a live improvised (or not) setting, the permutations could be endlessly fascinating! Additionally, the dichotomy between what is traditionally thought of as a non-gesture form of music (Gobeil’s Acousmatic sections) is now organically attached to a human element that can change with each performance. In a case like this, the Ondes Martenot sounds like the perfect tool to achieve this. (I wonder if they every thought of taking this on the road?)
The music on Trilogie d’ondes is much more dynamically busier that Trois Songes. Gobeil’s soundscapes have a rough and tumble attitude and the mood is quite a bit darker because of it. The Martenot adds a celestial/cosmic element, usually when Gobeil is laying out. At times it sounds like a lonely pedal steel guitar that slowly builds in pitch and intensity. During periods like this, Gobeil brings in a slowly escalating, manic tension that succeeds in goosing the music into the stratosphere.
For the most part, Trilogie d’ondes is more of a Gobeil showcase for his Acousmatic stylings with the Martenot adding just the right amount of unique textures, so the pairing is not exactly equal. For me, the Martenot uplifts this record from being a “great” Gobeil record to being a “special” Gobeil record, and that’s the primary reason I’ve included it in this write-up. Here is Voix blanche, the first piece on the album. (Please note that this version is from an older release called Les Mécanique des ruptures. It is my understanding that the version on Trilogie d’ondes was re-recorded.)
best
Michael
Last edited by neuroticdog; 05-16-2021 at 06:48 PM.
If it ain't acousmatique-It's crap
Gilles Gobeil
Part 2
Finally, we get to the earliest of the bunch, Le contrat which is billed as a Gilles Gobeil/René Lussier record released in 2003. The sheer density of musical content on this record is insane. Both musicians are on top of their game and, while they both have lots of room to flaunt their talents while the other sits out (Lussier has several solo electric and acoustic guitar pieces on this album), it’s the collaborations that really shine for me. Lussier’s off kilter, dangerously spikey guitar workouts combined with Gobeil’s incredibly dynamic, Acousmatic agitations work extremely well together.
Imagine taking a personal, solitary tour of Le Théatre du Grand-Guignol after partaking in an Absinthe ritual and then dosing yourself with LSD… (While never actually doing any of those things…this was the closest analog I could imagine to surrendering yourself to complete and utter sensory overload.) that is the sonic/cerebral/psychic journey that Le contrat lays out for you.
Or, you can think of Le contrat as a massive, 70 minute panoramic mural that can be transversed in a myriad of ways depending on your general state of mind at the time. Always a beginning (start anywhere), always an ending (end anywhere)…it’s everything else that is in a constant state of flux. Like a frenetic ever morphing John Zorn composition, Gobeil and Lussier fabricate color after color, landscape after landscape, exploding mutation after exploding mutation. Finally, it’s all over with a human mimicking a cats meow, a cat that was incessantly mueling, whining and caterwauling during various parts within this aural mural. Was this all a great and giant joke to begin with…I think the cat MUST know the answer!
Or, you can think of Le contrat as an opening. An opening of a door, a window, a mind or, of a self. A crusade or quest that, if you choose to take, can lead to the unexpected. A Dunsany-esque odyssey that is both universal, as well as completely personal. In this case, Le contrat is your vessel…a vessel that may, or may not protect you from what you find.
Have a small tincture, you know you want it!
Whether you think of him as a boffin dabbling in the dark arts, or a sound scientist searching for new ways to alter the mind, or maybe a little of both, I’m certain that Gilles Gobeil is one of the top Acousmatic alchemists in the scene. Any one of these records would be an excellent departure point and they all come very highly recommended depending on where you want to start on his path. Take the first step, you won’t be sorry.
best
Michael
Last edited by neuroticdog; 05-16-2021 at 07:16 PM.
If it ain't acousmatique-It's crap
Gobeil is one of the masters. I have only two of his albums right now, but I need to get some more. Will listen to these pieces when I'm not at work.
Hey SW!
Of the three I mentioned above, I honestly don't know which one you should go for (if you don't have any of them already). All three are crazy good, but...all three are very different from each other even though Gobeil's mark is on all of them. The general mood is different on all three.
Since you are a more seasoned listener (and I don't mean to use that term in a pompous fashion, but you seem to listen to this stuff regularly like me), if you don't have Le contrat, I would grab that one. I may be hesitant to recommend that one to someone that is new(er) to this music though unless I really knew their musical tastes.
best
Michael
If it ain't acousmatique-It's crap
Hey, apologies for dropping this here, where it's admittedly mildly-off-center-of-topic...but it might be of interest to this particular gang
https://boomkat.com/products/klein-rot
If you're actually reading this then chances are you already have my last album but if NOT and you're curious:
https://battema.bandcamp.com/
Also, Ephemeral Sun: it's a thing and we like making things that might be your thing: https://ephemeralsun.bandcamp.com
Hi John...Hey, apologies for dropping this here, where it's admittedly mildly-off-center-of-topic...but it might be of interest to this particular gang
https://boomkat.com/products/klein-rot
Apologize? Why? Anything that is remotely Acousmatic/electroacoustic works here...I just chose to write a series on empreintes DIGITALes releases.
I appreciate the heads up and will be listening to the album on BC to see if it's a future download. But I'm confused, is this an alias of Peter Rehberg, aka Pita? I generally really like Pita's work, in his various groupings and incarnations so...if that's the case, that would be a big selling point for me. I've seen him a couple times, once in an improvised laptop duet with Marcus Schmickler. That show might have been the best electronic show I have ever witnessed...immensely powerful!!!
Regardless, all the right names (in the BoomKat write-up) were dropped...so it had my attention immediately when they mentioned GRM and, of course Parmegiani.
oh...and, you must mean the "Gang of Four"...right? (If i'm lucky)
best
Michael
If it ain't acousmatique-It's crap
Holy cow, I'm embarrassed to admit I didn't even think that it might be Pita! So cool if so...I saw PR with KTL about two years ago for a blisteringly awesome set at Big Ears that included "solo" sets from Rehberg and O'Malley (the whole show is up on KTL's Bandcamp site).
Yeah, the Parmegiani reference was what first caught my eye and got me listening to samples.
If you aren't familiar with Boomkat, they're an excellent source for really interesting stuff of all shades/colors. Their weekly email and the Wayside email are the two I NEVER skip when they arrive in my inbox. Shipping costs make it a little hard to buy often but I do try and give them my biz when I can.
If you're actually reading this then chances are you already have my last album but if NOT and you're curious:
https://battema.bandcamp.com/
Also, Ephemeral Sun: it's a thing and we like making things that might be your thing: https://ephemeralsun.bandcamp.com
Here is my write-up on the new Robert Normandeau extravaganza:
AMN Reviews: Robert Normandeau – Mélancolie (2021; empreintes DIGITALes)
A new Normandeau is always a welcome addition and, Mélancolie delivers in a big way. This, along with Paul Dolden’s Golden Dolden box (write-up coming eventually, hopefully sooner rather than later) provides a splendid end of the year Acousmatic boost.
On Mélancolie, Normandeau humbly underestimates these works by saying; “All the pieces culled on this album were composed in a dome of loudspeakers and are designed to be presented in that format. They are immersive, inviting listeners to dive into the sounds. The stereo versions found on this album are like postcards of the original pieces: they represent something akin to souvenirs of them. I hope to have one day the opportunity to present them to you on the full loudspeaker array. Until then, enjoy.” While I have no doubt how unbelievably cool it would be to hear these on the proverbial DOME O’ SPEAKERS, I have to say they sound stupendous coming out of my bookshelves (at volume) and even more breathtaking through my DAC augmented earbuds. So, until someone hooks me up with my speaker dome, I’m going to have to “settle” the OG way.
The album consists of five lengthy pieces composed between 2013-2021. Since his 2013 release Palimpsestes, Normandeau has refined his style somewhat to incorporate more of a wall of sound’ish drone-like vibe. This “new thing” was (and continues with this latest release) very elegantly layered over with what you might call a more traditional (traditional as it relates to an empreintes DIGITALes “sound”, if such a thing exists) Acousmatic feel. By this, I mean a creative organization of disparate, unidentified sound events into a highly pleasing sonic space with somewhat smooth edges and pristine sound and production.
The first piece, “Le ravissement” exposes this sound wall in a slow build fashion. The piece is unique in the way that this base drone layer is somewhat down in the mix, immediately throwing me off guard. I would have expected this facet to be much more prominent. Normandeau inverted my expectations by overlaying gorgeously breathy, sporadic bursts of a symphonic nature (maybe strings, maybe not) that are quite loud, powerful, and wildly dramatic. As if this now true “wall of sound” wasn’t enough, he also adds other strange and unnamed sonic samples which ramps up an already chaotic and psychedelic listening experience. I can only describe the result as a sensory stimulation of the highest order.
The next piece, “Tunnel azur” has the composer channeling a little Gilles Gobeil energy. As the title implies, the listener can’t help but transport themselves to a dark, dank, oppressively confining tunnel inhabited by machines, steam pistons and sinister automatons of all sorts. All working in concert, is this a synthetic leviathan powering unimaginable structures? But to what end? As a warning, this work will stretch your speakers to the limit and is best listened to loud. (Of note, the very rare Octobass is in use so…watch out!)
Next, we have “Melancholia” which has the composer further exploring the creative sound manipulation of the human voice. But wait…I just read the liner notes where I was informed that the only sound source on this piece was the Bandoneon. This demonstrates to me one of the coolest things about listening to Acousmatic music, namely sound sources and physical gestures mean nothing. Once you accept this key concept, the sound world will literally burst wide open and you’ll experience it not just physically, but, if you are committed, with an extreme heightened state of mental/psychic awareness as well. The piece itself expands beautifully starting with a vaguely metallic hum that spectrally morphs into a louder, more majestic and polyphonic layer. Key sound events drop out and what’s left becomes wonderfully sliced and chopped up by some unique studio processing. Overall effect…maximum emotion-infused drama!
On “L’engloutissement” we get another elevated emotional sound world that transported me to a secluded beach. Dawn light greeted by ocean waves lap at the shore and seagulls cries that are strangely re-worked into something “not of this world” hover over head. Lurking underneath this scene is the sautillé bowing of an orchestra that creates a low pitched, and somewhat menacing hum…occasionally interrupted by moments of electrostatic glitch. As with all these pieces, experiencing this under Normandeau’s proposed speaker dome can only be stunning (squared!!!).
The final piece on the album is “Raíl” which pays homage to the train and all sounds that go with it. This is a very powerful work that leads you through a sonic coffee table book of whistles, steam engines, hydraulic brakes, the click-clack of metal wheels on iron tracks, the perception of movement to an outsider and the perception of commuters enroute to their destination on the inside. This work brings the album to a close in a fitting whirlwind of industrial chaos.
Mélancolie is a worthy addition to the Normandeau canon and comes highly recommended. Additionally, all attributes of the empreintes DIGITALes label such as sound and production qualities are unsurprisingly firmly intact. Sound samples can be heard on their webpage.
best
Michael
If it ain't acousmatique-It's crap
I like the samples, he's definitely "working with a clean slate" in comparison to the older albums I have. Interesting that he's revisiting train sounds (his "Tangram" is my favorite electroacoustic piece with train sounds, and I've heard a lot of them). I need to listen to the samples again in a quieter environment (my 6-year-old daughter was watching cartoons in the next room), I couldn't hear any of the quieter sections at all!
It could be that his compositions are driven by this dome of loudspeaker installation he talks about and he's specifically experimenting with a new sample library that is optimized for this kind of presentation, although that may not be quite right either since I've noticed this "new thing" since 2013...so, who knows
More likely he's innovating with the help of technology as it becomes available...I think Natasha Barrett is doing the same, and even Dhomont based on his latest release so...good on em as they say down under!
best
Michael
If it ain't acousmatique-It's crap
Here is one that I think a few of you would like (Mr. Battema for one). Lots of really good retro sounding synth tech going on along with everybody's favorite Acousmatic sounds.
This will be published on the Avant Music News site in the next few days...a site you should all subscribe too, seriously!
AMN Reviews: Ned Bouhalassa – Gratte-cité (2008; empreintes DIGITALes)
It’s been a while that I’ve contributed to my on again/off again examination of the wonderful empreintes DIGITALes label. I’m going to dig deep into their catalog and talk about this stellar release from 2008. Ned Bouhalassa’s Gratte-cité is one of those releases that evokes, not only a long passage of time but also a vast soundscape, creating an unparalleled cinéma pour l'oreille. This sense of “the epic” is familiar to me because there are other releases on empreintes DIGITALES that deliver in the same way. I’m thinking specifically of the Gilles Gobeil/René Lussier release Le contrat (my thoughts here) and Arturo Parra’s Parr(A)cousmatique which I’ve also written about. It’s this boundless, infinitely expansive journey through environments both physical and metaphysical, rooted in both real time and a temporal otherworld that elevates Gratte-cité to such a compelling listen.
Full disclosure: When I first heard this, I was less than enamored…and I know why. The beats.
Full disclosure (addendum): Now…when I listen, I’m completely enamored…and I know why. The beats.
Bouhalassa has done something that I’m sure has been done before but…not in such a seamless, organic way. He married both live and electronic drum n’ bass elements to the Acousmatic world. And this marriage wins the “Power Couple” award usurping Brad and Angelina!
I’ll return to the beats in a bit but a little about Bouhalassa first. It appears that he has his feet in two worlds, not only working in the Acousmatic space but also creating music for film, television and video. I’ve looked around and it seems his Acousmatic work is limited to this release and 1998’s Aérosol (also on empreintes DIGITALes). A quick search on YouTube reveals several short videos ranging from synth demos to short films and documentaries in which he created the soundtrack. Much of this newer music has a retro “synthwave” vibe to it, a vibe that also pokes its head out on Gratte-cité and not in a small way. (BTW, since I mentioned “synthwave”, the fact that there is even an element of it on this release really adds to its appeal when it’s mixed into the final mélange.)
Unfortunately, I can’t link you to any of the works on this album in their entirety but, like all empreintes DIGITALes releases, you can sample a healthy segment of each piece on their dedicated webpage. But, to really experience this album…a single listen straight through is the way to go. It’s long, about 76 minutes but, most good journeys are.
Gratte-cité (Cityscraper) can be looked at as the Acousmatic world’s version of a David Lean movie…it’s that big! Bouhalassa say’s:
“In preparing the sonic materials for these pieces, I selected, like a DJ, what I liked out of my large collection of recordings, though in my case, these are recordings of city soundscapes. I then imagined a fantasy, where a gigantic vinyl record’s grooves are replaced by the jagged outline of skyscrapers, and I, a giant, drop an impossibly-large needle and begin to ‘play’ the city.”
The first piece, “The Lighthouse” kicks things off in an ominous fashion. Horse hooves on cobblestone streets, old timey music, faint human presence and movement of sound to and fro from within the headspace all mingle with an unsettling drone. It all come together to form a darkened city street, a place in the old world perhaps. The movement, the sound gestures all point claustrophobically inward…until they don’t! Enter the electronic beats…and enter they do in a grand, chest thumping peacock strut that made me smile.
I remember on my first listen to this album not too long ago I didn’t smile. I was so taken aback by this overt display of “techno dance music” that so rudely interrupted my perfect symbiosis of loudspeaker/brain infused dreaming I may have audibly uttered, “What is this shit”. But, as my full disclosure above intimates…I now have arrived at the realization of how bloody brilliant this move was. These rhythm blasts, both electronic and human made (courtesy of Christian Olsen) are surgically dropped in at strategic places for what seems like the sole purpose to disrupt.
Disrupt? Yes, but disrupt what. Surely the answer to that will have as many different responses as there are listeners. One thing for sure though, these events create drama…and drama in Acousmatic music is or should be a prime goal.
The beats, which I now consider so important to this album are scattered across its entirety. They appear, they disrupt, they vanish…never wearing out their welcome, and they are beautiful!
The centerpiece of this album is the 34 minute “Urban Cuts”, a crazy patchwork of places, times, visions and emotions. This is the piece that best demonstrates what he means by “playing the city”.
Bouhalassa “plays” three cities, Montreal, Las Vegas and Berlin. The piece has no natural separation between places, but the listener can determine the change of locale by the natural, organic vibe change from what preceded it. Montreal and Berlin both display their urban plumage, moving from frenetic to serene, dark to light in a blink of an eye. It’s the Las Vegas middle section though that is the most compelling for me.
Bouhalassa achieves an extremely accurate sonic representation of the mystical solitude of desert life in stark contrast to the hedonistic frenzy of a casino. That being said, it’s possible for the listener to be transported to any number of places depending on…the listener. In the middle of this lengthy segment, the poet Fortner Anderson infuses the soundscape with lines from his poem, Vegas. His delivery is cold, with a sense of pathos, tension and dread…doing an excellent job augmenting the already vivid pictures in this sonic epic.
This piece, as in all the others has the beats as well as a “just under the surface” bed of long tone, shifting, electronic and futuristic synthwave layers. The addition of well-placed cello (by Delphine Measroch) is a nice touch as well. If Vangelis didn’t do such a great job with the soundtrack to Blade Runner, “Urban Cuts” would be a very able substitute.
The 16 minute “mOrpheus” also begins in a very 80’s synthwave fashion but eventually dissolves into a lonely, deserted sound world with some sparse, sustained Piano chords. The ear traveler is then ported over to a robotic, Kraftwerk-ish place for further examinations by whatever manner of nefarious beings who created this cold, sterile place. Outside there is panic and chaos but here, in this place…there is nothing but the warm, secure feeling of skin against the stainless-steel table on which you lie on. This piece has less of the organic natural world, with the synthetic sucking up all the atmosphere. Of course, your mileage will vary based on your own David Lean epic.
Unlike “mOrpheus”, “Impulse”, at 14 minutes begins with, what I consider…classic Acousmatic sound. This would fit well in the Dhomont, Ferreyra, or Denis Dufour zone. Sounds moving through space leaving the mind just enough time to get a fix on them before they are gone. More beats of the drum n’ bass variety eventually do kick in but don’t last long…giving way to all sorts of non-rhythmic, synthetic as well as organic atmospheres. With this in mind, “Impulse” may be the most evocative piece on the album, leaving the mind free to spin whatever image(s) it can generate.
The final piece, “Songe errant” is the shortest, at just under 6 minutes. Beats and synths cavort in a synthetic playground until night falls and the natural sound of “the world” takes over, and all is well.
The empreintes DIGITALes label has an extremely deep roster of great releases and I hope to be a bit more consistent in my coverage moving forward. Bouhalassa’s Gratte-cité is a very worthy addition to a long lineage of unique, adventurous sound explorers and comes VERY highly recommended. I should mention that you can grab a high-rez download off the electrocd site. It was this format that I based this write-up on. Additionally, the physical product is available as a DVD Audio with advanced resolution and 5.1 surround sound. I have this and, do I even need to say how incredible it sounds? This is a great release from the label’s back catalog!
best
Michael
Last edited by neuroticdog; 07-18-2022 at 11:31 PM.
If it ain't acousmatique-It's crap
Well, ya sold meThanks Michael!!
If you're actually reading this then chances are you already have my last album but if NOT and you're curious:
https://battema.bandcamp.com/
Also, Ephemeral Sun: it's a thing and we like making things that might be your thing: https://ephemeralsun.bandcamp.com
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