Irr.app.(ext) — Drone Works #10
It begins slowly with distant carnival like sounds and half heard voices rising from over the horizon. After a couple of minutes a low organic drone starts to swirl enveloping the distant music like a fog. There are curious tweaks and little incidental sounds that twitter and chatter in the corners of the mix as the drone becomes thicker and more distinct. The build-up is reminiscent of Irr.App(Ext) last solo album Ozeanische Gefuhle but somehow more immediate and forceful.
After five or so minutes the low bass drone is joined by a harsher more defined metallic one that could be the processed results of bowing a steel guitar or another metal string instrument. The resulting combination of frequencies produces a wall of sound that fills the sound spectrum and begins to take hold, moving the piece away from distant ambience into full on overwhelmed sonic soup.
The metallic sounds continue to grow in strength and complexity augmented by all manner of sub frequencies and far off events. It pauses briefly allowing the far off carnival to re-enter consciousness before the piece moves to envelop the air in thick drone once more. Sliding, almost liquid feedback sounds grind and throb behind drones that take on a sound not far removed from a dozen pulsating didgeridoos. It’s a deeply engaging sound that never falls into the trap of repetitive grooves or bland ambient backdrop.
By the time the piece begins it’s eventual fade to nothing the sound has become like a huge jet engine or helicopter hovering above a giant metallic valley, echoing harmonics, sub-harmonics, and debris all around. It’s another fine addition to Irr.app.(ext) rapidly growing set of sonic credentials.