Material + Object - Telepath [Editions Mego - 2023]At some point or another, we got stuck – between the acoustic and the electric, a dichotomous and downright depressing state of affairs. This does not mean that all possibilities have been exhausted when it comes to threading some kind of musical twine through the eye of this bifurcating needle, but the point almost becomes moot. That's the point. Telepath is a chattering, sequencing symptom of this dynamic – improvised with violin and electronics – that rambles on, performing and re-performing the operations of signal capture, synthesis, and reconstruction, executed with near-surgical precision. The electronic beat of Material + Object's sequenced recombination of acoustic source material helps to push the album along and unite its otherwise minimal but disparate parts. The work feels more or less like a single composition, divided into parts, removing any shred of representational or referential pathos that such a work might carry with it. The subtlety is occasionally disarming, as if things have gone quiet, as on the longest track, "Hyphae", which clocks in at just over 15 minutes. There is no element of surprise, however, at least not one that listeners might recognize as such. At its most compelling, Telepath sounds like a dialogue between two alien entities that move converse without recourse to apex or conclusion.
For fans of experimental, minimalist electroacoustic improvisation with a healthy dose of choppy clicks and volume swells. To find out more about this two LP release drop in here Colin Lang
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