Tine Surel Lange — Works For Listening 1-10
The CD release appears on the always worthy Sofa- the Norwegian based label, who always put out some of the more curious & creative releases with-in the improv/ modern composition scene. As we’ve come to expect from the label we get an arty packaged CD- it’s a six-panel digipak affair, which features on its outside close-up pictures red rusty, stone and water environments. And on the inside reverse- white text on a blue background, with Lange discussing each of the tracks, and a picture of her self on a barren beach.
The ten-track release is fairly sonically varied in its sound use, though they're quite a few of the tracks having watery origins. Runtime wise they fall between two and ten minutes, and mostly Lange mangers to keep each interesting & creative in its use of sound/ texture.
We kick off with the slightly alien, off-kilter, manic side of the record with “Metal And Spoon”- here we find a building and busy blend electro textured scapes ‘n’ whirls, blend with chiming bowl tones- the track cleverly managers to sit somewhere between busy & oddly soothing, which is a difficult balance to perfect. As we move on we come to “Roof Work II” where we find wind bound & aquatic like drone ebb, edged with moments of distant pull, creak and dart- apparently this track source was a recording of a new felt roof been put on an old timber factory in Norwegian fishing village of Henningsvær. “water and Stone” brings together the sound of rapidly rushing and bubbling water, with cleverly placed metal reverberations, creaks and scapes- making for a subtle surreal and moodily playful track. The longest track here is the just over ten minutes of “Wires”- this features recordings made of wires on a radio tower. The track finds Lange creating eerier ringing and baying orchestrated feel to the tones, as they seem to thicken-then pare back before once more thickening up again. The album returns to its more water-based pallet with “Muorjegarggu” which blends tightly soothing bubbles, rushes and splashes of water, and the on/off rapid movement of stones/ pebbles.
Works For Listening 1-10 highlights both Lange talent for crisp and clear field recording capture, and skilful-yet-never overworked sound manipulation. With all of the tracks here perfectly bringing together a great sound selection, clever arrangement, and a keen sense atmosphere.