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review by Ben Fleury-Steiner When I listen to Robert Rich's remarkable catalog of work (especially the focused organics of Below Zero, Humidity and Bestiary) I have often thought to myself: "This is the future of sound design. This is the gap between rhythmic ambience and the surreal subtly narrative-like approach that new artists need to step into and really challenge themselves to work within." Sadly, I have been reciting that mantra for years now, finding very few releases that even attempt to tread in this challenging, often treacherous sonic space. Consider Jason Corder's (aka Off the Sky) magisterial new work Cold Distances. The work opens with the vast "a thousand year formation" - a challenging collage of sweeping drones and the faint sounds of human voices - but, like Rich, especially on the first five tracks of Cold Distances, it is purposeful. That is to say, Corder is very thoughtful in his sound design. The use of Rich-like glurps and in-the-sound-lab-fiddling-with-technology clicks and scrapes are -unlike the many less successful artists who have dared to follow in the wake of Rich - not cliché sounding in the least. Indeed, Corder is placing each cluster of sounds as a means to a bigger end. He has a vision for offering distant, often cold and shimmering sonic places for the listener to travel within. Cold Distances' last four tracks are a bit less satisfying. The long extended synth tones of "Cold Distance to a Warm Place" tend to feel a bit overly intent on filling space. Yes, we feel warmed in its long vibrating presence, but we have felt this before - the mystery is somewhat undercut by the need to create warmth. "Winter's Torpid Flow" is more effective in its purpose - using loud clicks to awaken the listener to the shattering of ice chards - like the audio equivalent of the first shock of a morning wet and frigid with whites, grays and blues - we are propelled to an unfolding space. The ability to be purposeful and unfolding is clearly a strong suit for Corder. And his obvious love of subtle dub rhythms makes the latter tracks on Cold Distances - to use an oft over used cliché - a real "cross-over" album. But sometimes falling or wanting back to a place of comfort - as the slow meandering warming hues of "solid surface, soft center" seems to desire - causes a more traveled listener to yearn - borrowing from Track 5's title - for more polar and drifting worlds. |
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