The Hafler Trio — Dislocation

Dislocation is another reissue in the on going series of older Hafler Trio albums with their often complex, puzzling and plush original artwork by Korm Plastics. This originally came out in 1990 on Staalplaat and I have to say it’s one of the more active and up front rewarding works I’ve heard from Mr McKenzie.

The project seems to be based around travel and holidays ect I say seems guardedly because anything connected with Hafler Trio is always wrapped up in double meanings, puzzling and cryptic artwork/sonics – so one can only guess exactly what Mr McKenzie is getting at. It’s best to start off talking about the artwork I guess because as always with The Hafler Trio that is a big part of the release concept- the disk comes in an oversized folder much like the other reissues in the series. It’s covered in tracing paper like stock that has transparent texts printed onto it, the folder it’s self is white on the outside with a illustration of a world like map in a five pointed star, inside there a flamboyant  series of yellow and red lines pattens and the words “Wish you were here!” and inside the folder along with the cd is a small fold out booklet, which folds out to  large A3 size sheet and features 8 old looking maps of various world locations.  On the back of this is various puzzling texts, what it all exactly means I couldn’t tell you but it adds to the strange sonic delights with-in.

So now on to the cd it's self- it’s split into two tracks lasting a total of near on 50 minutes and as already mentioned is one of McKenzie's active works. He builds up a great strange and surreal sound worlds that shifts from drone textures, to haunting filmatic drifts/ brass music samples, to juddering sound piles up of cryptic field recordings, to almost noise like build ups, all the way down to stripped down environmental recording with a bizarre twist- but most of Dislocation sonic curve is fairly manic, puzzling and brain melting. He’s really using the stereo channel to great effect here they'll be creepy  laughter suddenly appearing out of creaking tones, or  firing up electronics Frankenstein monster like are met by Coughing, airline take off and watery sounds. With every sound heard and felt well. The two pieces move quite fast too from one strange and often jarring atmosphere to the next so you granteed not to slip into sonic boredom. There are returning themes and sounds along the way such aircraft taking off, creaking, coughing and a lot of travel based sounds. McKenzie also puts in tiny touches of different world music and sonic elements from different countries be it people chatter, animal noise, street sounds ect. Really you have to be amazed by the pure amount of different sound and sonic textures McKenzie has built together into this strange sonic trip- trust me this is unlike any holiday you’ve every have been on before, as he drags your mind around in hallucinogenic drug tinged trip around the world in just under 50 minutes.

With out doubt my favourite of the few Hafler Trio albums I’ve heard thus far and I heartily advise tracking it down before they go out of print(this is an edition of 400!). Of interesting to anyone that enjoys bizarre sonic art, surreal soundscapes and I can also see more active ambient and noise fans digging this too.