(04.08.05) Sirocco – (n) : a windstorm that lifts up clouds of dust or sand.
The word stated above is perhaps the vaguest definition one could establish in creating the correct way of explaining what this album tries to bring forth. A windstorm of fury slowly takes hold of a small community, and within an instant is gone; leaving destruction behind and people homeless.
Daniel Menche, in my opinion is highly unappreciated. The guy has been foreshadowed by many noise artists for years, yet has a catalog almost nearly as impressive as Masami Akita (a.k.a. Merzbow) or even Asmus Tietchens. The atmospheres of his works are highly experimental and change frequently unlike his contemporaries. With albums such as Beautiful Blood and the 2004 release Eye on the Steel, he shows how his style is unique among what is labeled as “Noise“. Starting off either very minimal and low-key or with a very heavy drone, he seems to always create an equilibrium of noise and minimalistic textures that tend to make your ears bleed and then lull you to sleep before shocking you again out of your slumber.
The idea for this album was first thought up back in 2001-2002, yet with the original label going defunct, it wasn’t until this year (2005) that it had the pleasure of seeing the light of day. The concept was to take sources from 12 different artists to make a long, continual piece. These twelve artists consisted of AMT, Akira Rabelais, Asmus Tietchens, Brandon Labelle, Menche (himself), Erik M, Illusion of Safety, John Duncan, Main, Merzbow, Scanner, and S.E.T.I.
Sirocco is a great starting point for anyone wanting to get into Menche for the first time. If you’re a noise/experimental lover, I see no reason why you would be turned away, but see more of a reason for you to explore his other works.
Sirocco is out now on Important.
