Francisco López and Luca Sigurtà — Erm
Erm features a single track by both artists who use the same sound source for their respective pieces.
Track 1 belongs to Francisco López. Simply titled “Untitled #294,” López delivers a 27:11 piece of focused experimental minimalism and musique concrète explorations. What is not said (or heard), seems to be just as important as what is presented on this evolving sonic tapestry. The piece starts out with several minutes of repetitive glitch, that sounds akin to a digitized rattlesnake rattle, with low end atmospherics booming in the backdrop. The sounds swell and meld with a swarming mass of insectoid buzz and industrial machinery, only to cool off and degrade into minimal electronic pulse. After an extended period of silence, we are awoken by (what sounds to be) the reverberations of several circular metal objects, possibly singing bowls manipulated and repeated. As those sounds peter out after several minutes, a more menacing sound presents itself. What sounds like a piece of metal being banged on, rings out in repetition. At the 20 minute mark, the repetitive clang is joined by a swarm of cicada-esque humming and chirping. The track reaches it’s swelling climax at 23:27 and then precipitously drops off, leaving us with several minutes of atmospheric ambience. López’s piece is very measured and transpires in well-placed stages. It was quite an enjoyable ride.
Track 2 belongs to Luca Sigurtà. Entitled “Eaves,” Sigurtà’s piece runs 22:36 minutes long. Utilizing the exact same source material as López, “Eaves” sounds undeniably familiar, yet it’s delivery distinctly unique. The track opens in similar fashion to “Untitled #294,” yet the focus is on crafting a dense and eerie drone. Clicking drone, the distant churn of machinery, and what sounds like a heartbeat, all swarm together in a stew with other, possibly, natural sounds. Similar to López’s piece, this track progresses in measured stages. The piece’s midsection again transpires similarly to the former track, featuring shimmery, bright resonance and thicker atmospheric tones. There’s a dichotomy that transpires between this uplifting ambience and a repetitive bang, that rings in the distance. Crispier loops and something that sounds like a distressed animal/human is added to the mix. The piece hits it’s swarming climax just south of 21 minutes and then fades out into the ether.
I must say I was mighty impressed with this pairing, especially since I was not all too familiar with either artist’s previous output. To be handed the same source material, but yield completely unique results is certainly one of this album’s many strengths. A great introduction to a couple of masters toiling in the labor they know best.