This CD is excellent.
It's sparse as hell compared to what some of the other godz on this list
are up to, but it definatley not minimal or thin. The beats are complex, but
not with the usual bombardment of snares and fuzzy noises. Like others have
said, this LP concentrates on melody and austere moods first, yet balanced
nicely with the rhythmic elements. It's even got DJ scratching on it here
and there. BoC employs a wide palette here.
I *love* the extensive use of vocal samples here, as both cryptic
lyrical content and as fragmented rhythmic/melodic elements. Track2's use of
the truncated sampled syllable "swa" is brilliantly subtle. The samples are
eerie, spectral, and seem to actually come from the creepy family on the
album cover, or other natives of their stepford planet. The voices aren't
saying trippy sci-fi shit or cosmic wisdom or corny philosophy - they seem
to be saying mundane, even happy things like "let's go for a bike ride" or
"tag you're it" (I'm making this up - I have no idea what exactly they're
saying but most of them sound like children). Some tracks use vocals in a
way not dissimilar to Autechre's "chatter" from the first(?) AI comp.
The record has an interesting production "space" to it. I can't put my
finger on it - it seems like there's more midrange sometimes, yet other
times there's none. I suppose it's the lack of gratuitous electronoise which
sounds so distinctive. Or maybe it's the room left in the mix for the vocal
fragments, and the frequent use of that room, which sounds so interesting.
I'm pleased with this CD - the first purchase in months I've been really
happy with.
-Cf
np: BoC of course
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c h r i s t ø p h e r f ª h e y
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chris@raremedium.com
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