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  Chrysakis / Matthews / Pedreira 
  Garnet Skein
  (Aural Terrains) 


  
   review by Matt Schulz
  2015-02-07
Chrysakis / Matthews / Pedreira: Garnet Skein (Aural Terrains)

Haunting electroacoustic landscapes by three men on the fringes of sonic buggery. I last heard from Matthews on the Punto Cero record where he helped manipulate field recordings of the Aragón region of Spain, and his work here continues on a similar trajectory. Sonic artifacts fizz, and chime turn inside out on themselves over fluttering sound events and rumbling proto-bass. This release is at times reminiscent of l970's electronic film soundtracks like The Andromeda Strain and THX 1138 but also evokes aural memories of a coalescing ecosystem, created by the plodding feet of giant animals, earthquakes, and bubbling, molten lava.

"I" opens with a distant ambulance sound that is later joined by full on air raid sirens, punctuated by bits of dissonant aural chaos. These elements create a true sense of dread, as if some intangible emergency is unfolding just out of earshot. "II" is a truly exciting piece, deploying warbling bass tones, arpeggiating, garbled voices and whirring, skittering clicks that morph into somersaulting upper frequency hijinx. "III" sounds like a failing internet connection circa 1998 with a stringed instrument trying desperately to escape sonic quicksand. Eventually feedback and subharmonic splatter overtake the instrument as disembodied voices whisper its eulogy. "IV" has a more solemn tone evoking singing bowls or gongs, with rude temple visitors knocking about during the ceremony. Watery textures bubble just below the surface with mangled ultra distortion and the occasional hard stick on metal making way for an onslaught of UFO electronics and early Sonic Youth guitar squelch. This track more so than the others illustrates the dualities of 50's and 80's future soundscapes mixed with meditative drone and is one of the more complex pieces on this disc. "VI" sounds like a giant room full of ancient super computers, each one's data tape machine slowly dying among a chorus of obscure ring-modulated office machines. Brilliant.



Chrysakis / Matthews / Pedreira: Garnet Skein
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