RST — Tomorrow's Void

RST is New Zealand's Andrew Moon, an artist who, though he has been known by those three initials for over a decade, seems tailor made for the Utech label. His electric guitar experiments are carefully arranged as to appear fully composed, yet on the other hand naturally flowing, indicating at least some level of improvisation. Moon's approach to the guitar is not unheard of; he shapes feedback and seems to rarely if ever actually touch the strings of the instrument. What he culls from what has become an increasingly commonplace practice is what sets him apart; he creates a massive, cavernous atmosphere by overlapping elements created by plenty of analog effects and more than enough amplification.

What is most interesting about Tomorrow's Void is the fact that it could hardly be considered simply noise, as each one of these pieces are impressionistic, suffused with an artistic flair well above the typical sound sculptor. As usual for the Utech label, the art which accompanies the music is custom made for the project. It's Volume 6 of the URSK series, a collaboration with fine visual artist Stephen Kasner, and it follows Utech's 2007's ARC series, a highly successful art/music project with accomplished photographer Max Aguilera-Hellweg. Even within Utech's high standard of innovative artists, RST's contribution stands out as an exceptional release. Highly recommended.