Norfolk Trotter - Reel-to-Reel Flint Loop [Quagga Curious Sounds - 2020]This fifty-minute CDR sees the welcome return of great and often creative British walled/ textured noise venture Norfolk Trotter (aka Michael Ridge) - the project only utilizes stone & flit as its source material. And this time around the decidedly minimal, yet detailed ‘wall’ is built from a tape reel going through a lump of flint- so another fascinating concept, that severs up a most intriguing & entrancing example of wall-craft. The CDR comes presented in a yellow paper slip sleeve- this takes in a black & white picture of the ‘walls’ reel though flint set up. And inside we get a single paper inlay which outlines the concept of the release. The CDR is ltd to twenty copies- so you may still get lucky and score a copy, as it’s not been out that long.
The single track here comes in at spot on the fifty-minute mark, and there are zero editings or processing occurring here- all we have is tape reel going through a hole in flint- this reel features a looped recording of grind/rubbing flint. The track is built around a blend of pleasing distant reeling machine rattles & spools- this is topped off by gritty grain snaps & pops. As the track progresses it becomes highly entrancing- as your mind follows both one textured pattern after another- at points, it does sound like there are subtle new sub-tone detail been added to both patterns, but I suspect these aren’t occurring & it’s just a trick of the wall it self.
The idea of a fifty-minute recording of a tape loop going through flint may sound some what dully & monotonous- but trust me it is most entrancing and oddly soothing- that is, of course, you enjoy subtly textured wall craft!. Head here to see a visual demonstration of the releases recording, and here to pick up a copy
Roger Batty
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