RIVER IN FLAMES
Limited-edition CD that also contains work by Orjan Hendriksson, Zbigniew Karkowski and Andrew McKenzie. Certainly one of the most beautiful in Duncan’s career, in the ‘acusmatic’ direction (recall in fact any productions on the Empreintes Digitales label). The CD has it all: rythmic loops, fax sounds, superimposed Morse code, exceptionally deep bass. Sharp interruptions give a little comfort to the timpanic membrane, providing yet again a brilliant example of dynamic iridescence. The space for the sound is assured with a long electronic wash not distant from a Hafler Trio that’s more developed, but at the same time the electric buzzes confine the listener in a center of white noise. And then another polyphony of alarms — or telephone signals? — put in a long dark disruption in which percussions and crackles act as an alarm clock… Motors? Bells? Synthesizers? Who would be able to recognize such a range of acoustic sources? And, in the end, why care about it when the result is so interesting? — Massimo Ricci, DEEP LISTENINGS
KLAAR
Here again is McKenzie, but only as the author of a brief text in the booklet accompanying the disc. DELTA is a dreamlike humming that introduces the work hypnotically. KLAAR alternates electroacoustic sources between loud and soft, with heavy use of ambient recordings; we’re not long in an “o’rourkian” atmosphere before the sound becomes something worthy of Extreme. We also find loops of circling electronic mixed with voices and found sounds that smooth out the road into a sort of mantra… THE IMMENSE ROOM: radio frequencies immersed in a sea of clicks, pops and explosions of a desparate mob for a piece that’s almost… calm; radio sounds come in and out to drive the final part of the composition, giving the rapport of the sound a sexual character; the sensation that pervades the listener is that of falling asleep in the middle of the night in front of the TV with a porn film on! MASS, with with its electronic treatments and usual circling radio, is disturbing on a level that’s psychosomatic! Excellent. — Massimo Ricci, DEEP LISTENINGS
Staalplaat reedite deux oeuvres indisponibiles a’ ce jour de John Duncan disposée en deux CD différents et c’est en fait la troisiéme réalisation de la série Anckarstrom. On soulignera le livret en papier recyclé qui donne un gout precieux a’ l’oeuvre. Deux CD donc pour ce John Duncan considéré comme l’un des meilleurs représentants de la musique électro-acoustique. KLAAR est la partie la plus abordable selon moi, quatre morceaux aux gros sons électroniques répétitifs, c’est lourd et prenant, les sons viennent de partout, comme de soudaines et rapides attaques. L’example est le morceau KLAAR un long silence annonce l’orage a’ venir: déflagration pure et simple. Les manipulations électroniques souvent trés dures se font part belle, tortueuses et chaotiques, mais cela reste toujours accessible. Par contre le CD RIVER IN FLAMES, c’est trés dur, collage sonore extreme et sauvage dans un esprit primitif. On approche de grands moments dans le domaine du collage. John Duncan est un maitre dans ce style, un facon de s’initier correctement.