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blue equinox .1 flocc .2 we wore silent dresses .3 red equinox .4 lotus star visions .5 |
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A. Träger : sounds, machinery, constructions Angela Caine : cello |
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Thanatos & Hypnos. Death and his twin brother Sleep. to be given away as a free CD single. limited to 99 copies. each CD is uniquely and ritually hand painted, titled and numbered. |
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The 'Aves Equui' EP is more rhythmically-oriented and generally more focused and less eclectic than the last Somnaphon release to pass by these ears, the full-lengthed 'Fire Mind Wisdom.' What's similar is the post-industrial and digital-savvy vibe that brings to mind some of the work of the late great Coil, of whose fans should take note. Here maestro A. Traeger, and his guest 'cellist Angela Caine, explore a variety of textures that deal 'with death and dreams, Thanatos and his half-brother Sleep.' Whether such esoteric references appeal to you or not, the music is pretty special. What they manage to achieve in just over twenty-six minutes is much more impressive than what many artists are able to accomplish over several albums worth of material.
The first two tracks have an almost danceable industrial quality to them. 'Blue Equinox' could pass as a Richard Kirk remix of early Test Dept. with its reduction of a martial beat into some pretty friendly electronica, an ethereal melody and a decidedly Eastern-esque figure. The breakdown at the end really takes the cake as the piece is deconstructed and re-presented as a distortion-laden coda. Really nice work. The second number, 'Flocc,' grooves and pulses in and out-of-sync with itself for the first two minutes. After this, the Coil connection really manifests itself. The piece is driven yet quirky, psychedelic and immaculately composed. This should really be heard by a wider audience than the electronic CDr underground. From here the beats tend to cease, but the rhythmic feel and draw of the pulse never really dissipates. The 'cello takes center-stage on 'We Wore Silent Dresses.' It's heavily processed and augmented by some choice DSP treatments and acoustic sources. The presence of water, among other sounds, give this the potential for some top-notch digital concrete music. Too bad it's only three-and-a-half minutes long; I could have sat on this one for quite a while. When the 'cello becomes more readily identifiable during the last minute, it assumes a menacing character. This is dispelled on the next track when Caine's playing is pitted against what I believe to be Traeger's processed guitar. What could have been a Swans-like dirge is transformed into a glitched-up funerary procession, which works well indeed. The closing 'Lotus Star Visions' is the red herring of the bunch and, honestly, the best track here. Rhythmic beats meet psychoacoustic ones over a cloudy background and some simple chiming percussives. The subtle transformation from this texture into one of treated vocals is nearly impeccable. What I've heard of Somnaphon has always had a spiritual bent to it, and this piece is the quintessential manifestation of that perception. Eight-and-a-half minutes of the real thing. For real. All in all, an excellent disk. To make it even more special, it's an edition of 99 copies each with an original for the cover that is individually titled. My copy is titled 'Seeking Solace In Celestial Voids.' How very, very apt. And it's a lovely painting to boot. -HEATHEN HARVEST MAGAZINE |
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