Pan American/Komet/Fisherofgold - Personal Settings Volume 1
(Quatermass)
This is the first in a planned series of releases by Belgium's Quartermass
Records which is designed to free the participating artists from any
limitations or restrictions that they may feel imposed upon them, or have
imposed upon themselves, by virtue or reputation, label, or genre
affiliation, or any other source. The participants are given 15 minutes
in which to affect their own highly subjective, personal communication
with the audience. Is this necessary? Given that the artists included on
volume one are not artists whom one may perceive experience much pressure
to compromise their work, such a forum may be superfluous. This is not
for me to say. What is for me to say is that I love this record. It has
three imaginative electronic artists, who each work with repetition and
atmosphere as much as they do with concrete sonics. Though the music of
each participant is complimentary to the others, their objectives provide
enough of a contrast to make an interesting record.
Pan American's two tracks are pretty much what you'd expect from Mark
Nelson, with the exception that it is at a considerably faster tempo. The
super-low bass anchor, the dub grooves, high-pitched, plinky sounds, and
the spaced-out vibe that sucks you into the song's smooth and warm zone
and leaves you suspended until Mr. Nelson chooses to end the track. His
work with both Pan American and Labradford has always been amazing in its
ability to trap the listener's consciousness by doing so little. The big
difference in these tracks is that the rhythms move almost at a pace at
which one could dance (but not quite).
Komet contributes three tracks, and, not being familiar with Frank
Bretschneider's previous output I cannot comment on how it relates. These
tracks are, however, the weakest portion of the record. "Stab" is built
around a repeating three note percussive synth bit that becomes tiresome
long before the track's five or so minutes is up. The various spacey
doodles occurring in the background are not enough to save the
song. Whereas Pan American's repetition seems more designed at creating a
kind of hypnotic state, Komet's seems simply repetitious. Like an idea
for a song, a riff, stretched out and played out. The exception is
"Pass," which is edgier and darker than any of the other tracks on the
record, and is constantly in motion as sounds move in and out of the mix,
including a driving bass pulse, rings, clicks, ticks, drops, and chirps.
Finally, Fisherofgold's "Lapis Lazuli" ends the record with one, long
sprawling song. Woozy synths paired with the rising and falling bass
rhythm create an intoxicated, otherworldly feel. The background crackles
and pops, and tones fade in and out like channeled spirits. The song has
a highly effective, mystical quality to it that surpasses even the Pan
American tracks in its ability to engross the listener in its unknown
qualities. Though the basic foundation of the song is constant, the
melodic elements follow their own erratic path. Rather than sounding lost
and meandering, however, there is the feeling that one is being led
somewhere deliberately. This is the real key to the success of the
track: though the song is open in its structure, it feels as if its very
precise in its direction.
Whether Quartermass is successful in its endeavor or not is yet to be
seem. Judging from this introduction, however, Personal Settings
looks to be an intriguing series that merits attention. A mad phat shout
out to Brainwashed's The
Brain for bringing it to my attention.
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