::..:::…..:..::….:::::..:::..:::::::……:::…::.:::….::::..:..:::…::…….:::::
Esplendor Geometrico :: Compuesto de Hierro (Geometrik, CD)
From Madrid come Arturo Lanz and Saverio Evangelista having recorded and
designed this completely new sound escapade while in Beijing. For those
who are lucky enough to be experienced you will incur a smorgasbord of
dense tribal beats recalling some of the early 80s industrial sounds
with bass heavy syncopation and bellowing vocal samples. This is some
peculiar fusion between the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, traditional Asian
and African music, and a deep electronic vibe. Esplendor Geometrico has
been recording together since 1981 and their discography is
filled with several gems. This fuels the gaping hole left in the
abridged life in much classic (and true) gothic sounds. Never baudy or
corny, Compuesto de Hierro sounds as if it could have been either
recorded in 1982 or just yesterday. It is a timeless entry in the
catalogue of underground music making drenched in lush Indian percussion
and sincere experimentation. And all of a sudden I am reminded of the
darker side of much music that once came from Berlin, just as Chinese
female voices are added to the mix. Forget Wax Trax – this is my first
exposure to an act that I have to fast-forward my research to play catch
up. This isn’t designer hellfire – this is the real thing.
Compuesto de Hierro is OUT NOW on Geometrik.
::..:::…..:..::….:::::..:::..:::::::……:::…::.:::….::::..:..:::…::…….:::::
Druhb :: Cone of Silence (Geometrik, CD)
Recorded live between 2000-01 this is a spacey adventure with all the
bells and whistles (and cons) of the new millennium. Jaime Munárriz and
Javier Piñango (also known as the recording duo Destroy Mercedes) create
a very other ambient world on Cone of Silence. This is parts sweeping
Eno-like, chilly rhythms with added instrumental-based, latter
dayTangerine Dream’ish nods (ala airy new age). There are reasons to dis
this record from the start, but something randomly holds me back, a
light edge that seems to be trying, struggling to reach a discerning
ear. Fluffy clouds fly on by and back again, but the layering here is
not mysterious enough, there is just too much surface noise (and I don’t
mean the disc is scratched). The sensibility is open and
filtered, but I think my main criticism is that it is too clean, too
lightweight. Cone of Silence reminds me of some attempted hybrid of
contemporary psychodelia and micro-electronics, but the blend doesn’t
quite blend – it kind of oozes erratically. I have not heard the work
of Destroy Mercedes but would assume that their life as Druhb may be
short-lived with a whole mess of superb ambient electronica out there
these days. This appears as an unmistakable side project.
Cone of Silence is OUT NOW on Geometrik.
::..:::…..:..::….:::::..:::..:::::::……:::…::.:::….::::..:..:::…::…….:::::
