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review by Bill Binkelman One thing is for certain about recordings released on The Foundry label - they are always provocative and intelligently conceived. sub.terra is no exception; in fact, it underscores both of those qualities. Operating somewhat like an ambient musical version of Akira Kurosawa's film Rashomon (in which the same event is glimpsed from different persons' points of view, illustrating how perception colors recollection), the album is the work of five bright stars in the ambient sky: John Koch-Northrup (a.k.a. Interstitial), Vir Unis, vidnaObmana, Saul Stokes, and Michael Bentley). The original source recording, done by Koch-Northrup, is a moody slice of subtly dissonant freejazz/spacejazz, the product of a trumpet, a pair of microphones and nothing else except massive amounts of processing and effects. This first track, "sub.terra" is atmospheric and phases between abstract and accessible in tone, between neutral and dark in mood, and I think it's utterly cool. From there, the other four artists took this original piece and used it as a starting point, doing what they do best through adding, subtracting, remixing, reworking, etc. The results are all intriguing, heady, and the selections display each artists' "signature" sound, almost as if it were an overlay on the original piece of music. As a result, Vir Unis's "Burning Champa" evolves from a smoldering (literally!) amorphous opening into an exploration of his patented fractal grooves set against the wailing densely echoed trumpet blasts, yielding a bouncy trippy ambient-jazz track. vidnaObmana's "Ceremonial" de-emphasizes rhythmic elements, which is not surprising when you think about it. Instead, the Belgian ambient artist crafts a floating and mysterious soundscape, emphasizing the haunting qualities of the trumpet, almost as if it were being played in a dark underground cavern. Trademark drones and warm, yet spooky, drones and textures envelop each solitary note from the brass instrument, almost as if the ambient washes were trying to stifle the blurting musical notes. Electronic music wizard Saul Stokes contributes "Lisboa," brimming with that artist's unique blend of cyber-electronics, as all manner of buzzing, tapping, whirring and cryptic textures and effects transport the jazzy trumpet inside a huge maze of circuitry, ablaze with electronics. Glitchy beats and swirling tones juxtapose dramatically with the more "human" sounds from the trumpet. By track's end, the rhythms are transformed into a frenetic blend of neo-world fusion and the synths have taken on some subtle retro warmth playing an accessible series of refrains. Leave it to Michael Bentley to contribute the eeriest and least rhythmic conversion of the original source material. His "From there…" is similar to work he has done on previous solo efforts, as he explores dark drifting emptiness, filled with slowly shifting drones and electronic tones, only occasionally allowing the trumpet blurts to sound "normal." Bentley's music frequently evokes a feeling of vast loneliness and despair in me, almost as if this was what a lone space traveler would listen to as he or she cruised out beyond the rim of the Milky Way, on his/her way to the Andromedan galaxy. Later, he does introduce some glitch/noise rhythms, albeit they are still uniquely "Bentley-an" in their harshness, resembling something closer to chattering electric permutations. These are set against beautiful soft drones with a bell-like quality, yet another brilliant juxtaposition. The album concludes with Koch-Northrup taking everyone else's tracks, throwing them into the blender and seeing what emerges. "Solitude" is not as interesting as the other artists' individual efforts, but thematically it's the only way this recording should end. Stretched out over sixteen-plus minutes, the astute listener will hear snippets and snatches from each of the others' contributions as they appear in view and then dissipate, dissolving back into the "whole." This last piece shuttles between being heavily rhythmic and drifting in nature. I'll admit that this recording (like some of the other releases on The Foundry) took me a while to get into. I wasn't sure in the beginning that I was connecting with it as best I could. Finally, as if I had finally "decoded" it, I realized it for the work of brilliance that it is. Kudos to all the artists involved but, of course, especially to Koch-Northup who conceived it and mastered the final product. Also, as usual, a pat on the back to The Foundry's main man, Michael Bentley, who never fails to amaze me with his visionary ways and his openness to push envelopes that others walk right past. Highly recommended. |
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