Eric La Casa & Francisco López — Induction / Mutation

Induction / Mutation is a split release bringing together two of the most respected, creative, and long-active sound art creators- France’s Eric La Casa, and Spain’s Francisco López. The two-CD release finds the pair utilising the same raw sonic materials to each create a CD’s worth of material.

The release appears on La Casa’s Swarming label in an edition of just one hundred and fifty copies. The CDs come in a six-mini gatefold; it’s a glossy, largely all-black affair, with minimal white text. On the front cover are three white lines with a dot in between- layered out like a basic turbine or clock face, and on the back is a photo of a mirrored glass tower in the middle building set against a dark blue sky.

The first disc takes in Eric La Casa material- this is split into two tracks, Everyday Unknown 6 & 7- each of which lasts around the nineteen-minute mark. The first track starts fairly busy, as we have a blend of constant popping/ galloping texturing, distant bird song, hazy and metallic tone drags, with electro buzzing/ fiddling tones appearing fairly soon. To begin with, there is most certainly a feeling of tension/ light disquiet about the whole thing. But as the track progresses, there are longer dwells of feasting hiss & swirling water tones appear, with moments of either steady paring back, electro tone hover, distant dialogue chatter, what sounds like whirring lift tones, and cat purr. Later on, we move into what sounds like a mix of lightly buzzing blubs, distant splash/ junk drag, and distant rattling/ knocking together in liquid-like tonalities.

The second track opens with what sounds like an initially untouched field recording of distant traffic recorded from within a drain; as it progresses, these winding, dragging, and subtle electro beeping tones are added to the mix. As the track progresses, we get sudden knots of activity- where there are thick weaves of machine knock/ buzz, building air vent hiss, sudden electro darting, and large swirling liquid tank hazing- before suddenly pairing back into silence & these moments are most effective. Latter hints of amassed steps, and sudden morphed dialogue toning can just be made out

Throughout both tracks, La Casa very much keeps alive a feel of fascinating sonic detail, rewarding flow, and a wonderful sense of surprise always present.

On disc, we of course have the Francisco López material, and this is one single track, “Untitled #446”, which runs at just over the forty-nine-minute mark. The track starts decidedly busy, with what sounds like a sped-up blend of bike-spoke tone, drilling, and buzzing. As it progresses, the tones seem to become hissing and grating in their attack, with this blend of side swiping/ clipped electro tone & horn-honk micro detail. By around the fourteen-minute mark, things are paring back/ becoming slightly woozy- as we get a blend of insect-like purr/ buzz, compressed rattle/ jitters, distant knocks ‘n’ drags. By the twenty-fifth minute, he’s brought the track back to near silence, but slowly but surely you start to make out growing, grainy pull- before a jurring/ building blend of sped-up knock, droning hiss, and snip appears- with both a feeling of tension and distant aquatic ebb ‘n’ knock occurring. This track is certainly a lot busier than past material I’ve heard from López, and I’d say if you're into detailed/ textured noise, you’ll really enjoy what he’s doing here

On Induction / Mutation, both parties very much give their own take on the raw material, creating their own very distinctive sound art. As I mentioned above, this is ltd to just one hundred and fifty copies, so don’t hang around!