Phroq - 77 Sound Objects [Cipher Productions - 2006]77 sound objects is just as it’s title suggest, the first 22 minute track manipulates and sculptures with 77 sound objects, to make a dense & often explosive sound world that’s some where between; electro acoustic, Musique concrète, noise and ambience. Then tracks 2 through to 77 users the unedited pure sound files, with the gaps in-between the tracks as part of the composition. The first long track takes as through a very varied textural sound landscape going from :dry drones, to abrasive scuttling, environmental sounds such as water & bird sounds ect, odd rhythmic deposits, sudden jerks of seething noise, twist and burns of hot noise and all manner of strange sound matter both organic and electronic. All moulded together to make an invigorating and often atmospheric trip. The next 76 shorter tracks take the jerking and distorting elements to its extreme with sudden shift in textured and sound depth, which by the end of the albums running time leaves the listener rather bewildered and shell-shocked. Using the gaps between and silence it’s self as a very effective compositional tool. From the album's description it sounds like it should be rubbing shoulders with more academic takes on noise and sound composition, while this is true to a small degree; for the most part this comes off as an invigorating, brutal and strange ride. Roger Batty
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