(05.31.08) Not being familiar with bulk of CoH’s existing oeuvre, Strings does not present itself as the stylistic departure it may appear to others. His previous work has generally been of the kind you typically expect to hear from Raster-Noton: pushing the boundaries of hearing, of electronic arrangement and of out and out minimalism. But like the Senking release that preceded it, Strings is yet another experiment for both CoH and Raster-Noton, appearing in its schedule as something of a special release. A two disc set, the second home to a single sixteen minute piece, Strings is housed in yet another bizarre, bespoke package with striking artwork designed by CoH himself.
The term strings is used in a wide sense here, as piano, saz, oud and guitars are featured, each appearing in isolation one of three two-part arrangements. Despite the minimal nature of the source materials and digital manipulation used on Strings, the whole has an expectedly lush and involving sound.
Parallels can yet again be drawn to the work of the Alva Noto and Ryuichi Sakamoto projects “Vrioon” and “Insen”, proving that these works have become both influential and inspirational to many in the electronic music scene. But what CoH is setting out to do here is to bridge the gap between the clinical, experimental music Raster-Noton is well known for releasing and the more accessible and commercial music found elsewhere. And Strings does indeed go some way toward achieving that goal.
“Sidereal As If Not” may take it’s time establishing this objective but once it gets there String‘s melodies will have you hooked. The first part, subtitled “piano tranquillo”, consists of nothing but digitally manipulated piano keys and an occasionally heard, crystalline synth pad. The cool piano strings here are rendered almost mechanical, notes are intercut or abruptly truncated and electronically treated to sound oddly flat and blank, but “andante facile” picks up the pace substantially when it arrives. A humongous, pounding bass throb swells under more digitised piano keys that echo and ricochet around a repeated digital pulse, this time in a much more traditionally structured way. The rhythms that build up are irrepressible and as such provide Strings with one of its most memorable moments.
“No Monsters No Rock” unsurprisingly introduces guitars into the mix, and of the distinctly heavy variety too. “Mezzo Forte Passionato” is a hugely varied piece. At first muted but then piercing guitar plucks that have been clinically scoured are then coupled with buzzing guitar treatments, before being mutilated and distorted beyond recognition until the piece plays out as muted and blank zithering guitar plucks. “Vittorioso Callando,” on the other hand, reprises a buzzing drone, rising and falling as a backdrop to even harsher guitar riffs. This harsh soundscape slowly fades back into the motifs and melodies heard earlier in “andante facile”, haunting, echoing piano and all, creating an emotional core for the work as a whole and binding the movements of the album together brilliantly.
“Euphrates” is the most minimal movement of the three but is certainly no less involving. It has a hypnotising, eastern quality and a remote uneasiness to it. There is a stark change of tempo mid-way through the piece that then adds new digital elements. There’s some quite startling sonic manipulation going on here that has the power to if not shock then at least jolt the listener even after repeated auditions.
“SU-U” is the final piece and appears in isolation on the second disc. It’s tempting to describe it as rather “zen”, since the brassy drones conjure visions of sun-drenched stone gardens or parched deserts landscapes. It essentially functions as a more contemplative extension of “Euphrates”.
2007 was an exceptionally good year for Raster-Noton, and Strings is yet another jewel in its digital crown.
Strings is out now on Raster-Noton. [Purchase
