The songs on Rural Sessions builds from a base of Global Communication-esque sweeping ambiences, adding different textures and rhythm stuctures. The first track, “Phosphene”, starts the record off rather uncaracteristically with some good crackling gliches á la Vladislav Delay or Pole. Track two instead pominently features a twanging guitar and some dark techno-ish bass lines. Then comes “Tropicalada”, which manages to add a calypso flavour to a slow rumbling ambient track. Track four and five brings back the electric guitar for some Steve Hillage-type warblings. And the album continues along those lines.
I find I have the same reaction to Multicast that I used to have to System 7, I quite like the electronic and percussive elements of the music, but I get an allergic reaction to the wobbly guitar bits. Dead Hollywood Stars (Mad Monkey Records) made a better job of merging ambient with guitars on their Gone West album. Having said that, I must say that on the last track, the 24 minute long “Laura”, Multicast succeeds in creating a compelling atmospheric epic. More stuff like that (and less guitar noodling), please.
