Various Artists

Psychogeographical Dip

Label: GD Stereo Country: USA

"The first release in a series of compilations based on the concept of psychogeographical recordings and the theory of the dérive among the artists (the various) assembled here. Musique concrète, electroacoustic and experimental music shape a psychogeographical map of the abandoned McCarren Park Play Center & Pool in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York. The 74' CD is packaged in a custom-designed wallet fold cover with images by Geoff Dugan. A blueline printed booklet insert contains graphics from each artist. Released in 1997."-GD Stereo

"A really nice compilation put together by Geoff Dugan back in 1997. All the pieces have something to do with the abandoned McCarren Park pool in Greenpoint Brooklyn, though if i hadn't read that fact in the liner notes i wouldn't know it. I've always thought thacompilations should be like good radio shows, introducing the listener to unknown work from artists familiar and not, and this one fits that bill.

We start with Gen Ken Montgomery's "Washing The Hare", field recordings with an odd stuttering quality joined by a child's song about- you guessed it- washing the hare/hair. Chop Shop contribute shifting, mysterious drones and compiler Geoff Dugan profers a nice field recording wherein the recordist slowly gets into the act, shuffling, sniffing and rustling. Francisco Lopez' "untitled piece from McGarren Park" starts in near silence and builds slowly to a chopped rumble with long echoey horns or bells. Sean Meehan's "Neglect" is all bowed or scraped metals (cymbals?) in a resonant space, really beautiful combinations of overtones. His page in the accompanying booklet looks like it might be a graphic score.

Brian Conley's "Empty" sounds like just that, sudden sounds popping through nothing and John Hudak's "Amniotic Suspension" is processed sounds of what may be water or fetal heartbeats rising and falling in pitch and thrown about. If Bwana contribute a percussion/synth/tape improvisation that's well paced and spidery and Pat Courtney winds up with could well be a recording of a crowded public pool, though oddly i don't hear any water. Maybe that's the point. If this HAD been a radio show, I wouldn't have turned off the radio."-Jeph Jerman, The Squid's Ear

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