album // Textures + Tones
A while ago, I entered into a competition via Piney
Gir's website to win a copy of a compilation CD put out by Music
House focusing on artists published by Mute Song, the
company set up by Daniel Miller. I'm not sure if I won or not, but
I had to draw a peacock and send it into Piney to enter the competition,
and I received one, so maybe I did. My understanding is that Music
House licence tracks for use in TV and film, and accordingly this
Mute Song showcase consists of 17 full tracks, followed by 17 60
second versions, followed by 17 30 second versions. Given that the
bread and butter of Mute Song's clients are Mute artists
themselves, it's no major surprise that the majority of tracks here
come from Mute artists. Furthermore, this CD has not gone on general
release, and I understand that the majority of contributions are
exclusives, making this a very collectable Mute 'release' indeed.
Irrespective of it's intended purpose, Textures
+ Tones is a CD that can be listened to in the same vein as
Warp's two Artificial Intelligence compilations -
it's ambient, in so far as ambient can encompass 'dark' sounds as
well as 'light' ones. It's certainly not easy on the ears at times,
and as a CD of abstract electronic compositions it is highly engaging.
It takes a while to stop thinking in terms of 'soundtracks', but
when you do it is a highly rewarding listen.
The disc commences with Simon Fisher Turner's
cracked electronics and cut up Satie-esque piano on 'Isabella's
Music Box', a style which has carried through into demos for his
current work Lana. This is followed by Daniel Miller's
appropriately-named 'Analogue'. It feels like a long time since
Miller recorded anything, and patience is rewarded with 'Analogue's
throbbing core, bubbling synth sounds and ricocheting minimal 'percussion'.
The ever-pleasing Rothko offer up 'Does Prayer Work', a typically
subtle, meditative and gliding track from the bass-heavy group.
Talented electronics composer Max Richter
provides 'Aqueous', a heavily processed melodic loop that appears
to have been sourced from a piano originally. Echoboy gives
us 'One Gay Shoe', wherein atmospheric layers of processed guitars
produce a claustrophobic motorik groove without the need for a beat.
It rises in volume and velocity toward the end, becoming an intense
wall of sound.
Gallon Drunk and recently-ordained Bad
Seed James Johnston continues Echoboy's harsh sonic soundscaping,
layering feedback and drones to produce a cacophanous, edgy piece
entitled 'Wooden Men'. Ann Shenton (ex Add N To (X)),
under the guise Large Number gives us 'Gizma' parts a and
b, a lolloping, quirky electronic work that sounds like Willy Wonka's
Oompa-Lumpas hard at work in the Chocolate Factory, with part a
featuring a soft - almost psychadelic - flute, part b ditching the
flute in favour of more burbling synth tones.
NovaMute's 2nd Gen provides the almost
Goth-titled 'Twisted Wrath', dominated by grinding distortion riffs
and droning synths. There's a dose of Throbbing Gristle in
here too, a malevolence and ear-blugeoning violence of sound. The
glitchy micro-electronic noodlings of fellow NovaMute artist Si
Begg's 'Trash Evaporates' are typically randomised, settling
into what could only loosely be defined as a 'rhythm'. The quirky
Tall Trees provide 'The Next Life', what could be the ideal
soundtrack to a Tim Burton horror movie, seeming to take the accordion
passage from Nick Cave's 'The Carny' and adding eerie theremin
and atmospheric noises; it's probably the most 'filmic' track here.
The consistently brilliant Komputer provide
'Frequency', which actually has a beat (of sorts) along with a restrained
analogue synth sound. It's a dark, dark piece from Baker
and Leonard. Jim Shaw's 'Mirage' is a bleak and twisted
electronic piece with a lacing of menace, despite an occasional
'pretty' sound. Meanwhile, from deepest, darkest Norfolk, Carter
Tutti give us 'Blaze' - imagine Vangelis' lead theme from Bladerunner
muddied with ebbing waves of guitar distortion, nudged along
by a throbbing 'beat' and you'd be close enough.
Bruce Gilbert's 'Missing' is a subtle, minimalist
track, built around drones and atmospherics. Gilbert is a master
of carefully-executed dynamics, appearing controlled and effortless,
and that's what can be heard clearly throughout this rich piece
- it's definitely one for deep listening. Piney Gir eschews
the sound of her debut album Peekahokahoo in favour of the
beautifully simple, melodic optimism of 'Sine Sweep' - it's not
even two minutes long, but it contains many seams of sound. Finally,
Mohl Rothman offers up 'In A Piece', a dark electro track
with swirling electronics and a (kling) klanging beat. Apparently,
it's the work of none other than former Buzzcocks and Magazine
vocalist Howard Devoto, although there aren't any sleevenotes,
so I can't verify it.
It's a showcase, an exhibition of sound by an array
of talented electronic crafts-men and women. Textures + Tones
is filled to the rafters with quality - if you find yourself able
to pick up a copy, don't hesitate; this is the electronic music
exploration and experimentation that Mute have consistently delivered
since day one, albeit undertaken in a contemporary way. It also
puts the proliferation of electronic music labels firmly in their
place, and re-establishes Mute as the eminence grise of the
avant-garde synth.
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