Kruger, Carl

Loveday

Label: Bicephalic Country: USA

"Bicephalic doesn't tell us more than 'Carl Kruger is an American male of European ancestry working in abstract sound design'. I reviewed some of his music before, but don't recall what I thought of it, which is, given the amount of music heard, perhaps really an excuse. But I think I should go back to them, as this new one, with five untitled pieces, is actually quite interesting. I may have put him down as someone who plays noise, this new one is indeed 'abstract sound design'. Kruger uses his laptop to alter acoustic sounds in an interesting way - the rumble of plastic, voices and perhaps instruments. The modern version of musique concrete I should think. A great deep production with some wild bass sounds, which hit the conus quite hard, looped segments of acoustic crackles and hiss and static. Cracks 'n cuts was once the name of a series of evenings, with improvising musicians playing together, with usually someone 'processing' the acoustic instruments and I remember hearing stuff like Kruger does here. It seems a long time ago. It also reminded me of some of the works on Ritornell, that experimental off-shoot of the once mighty Mille Plateaux label. I should think that Kruger could easily fit on that label with his loud, abstract, sometimes noisy, sometimes introspective but highly intelligent computer music. Excellent stuff."-Frans de Waard, Vital Weekly