Pure glitchy bliss
It’s a fascinating 44-minute venture for the ambient escapist. Feeding an assembly of various recordings through the art of electronic processing, Sclerosis is a powerful piece of audio-expression, comparable to Fennesz and Tim Hecker in its vast array of digitalised timbres.
It’s as observant as it is contemplative; absorbing distinctive influence from the cold, industrialised surroundings of the artist, as well as pouring his own personal reflections into the output. Opener “2.53” stands as a solid example - founded on the hydraulic repetition of factory machines, forming a percussive backdrop to the various glitches and gurgles of the foreground, as well as fusing harmoniously with the poignant string section rising from beneath.
As the album progress, this artist-environment contrast becomes ever stronger. “Sad.ay” combines its thick chordal surges with clusters of glimmering drones, whilst “Openness” is appropriately desolate, its sparse layering making a welcome contrast with the rest of this release. For me, Sclerosis only falls down when tempo is introduced, hindering the album’s ability to abolish the concept of time from the listening experience - as “Hornplant” establishes a steady pace with a quirky 4/4 rhythm, I find myself more inclined to the uncompromised fluidity of the other pieces.
Thankfully, the final two tracks that follow more than make up for this slight quality dip. In particular, “Calandaexl” is a mightily immersive album closer; delicate, looped electronics, patiently gathering textures to form a flourishing expanse of sound processing, decorating every fraction of the frequency spectrum. The fade out feels like a perfect ending, taking this track beyond its 9-minute playing time and into the infinite.
Following the conclusion to Sclerosis comes a real sense of satisfaction; partially due to its sturdy composition and gorgeous sense of harmony throughout, but also because this excellent con_cetta debut is available for free download. I strongly recommend that you take the time to submerge yourself in it, and know that when the time comes to part with your cash for his future efforts, the purchase will be undoubtedly worth it.
| Reviewer:Jack Chuter Added: June 1st 2008 |
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