Friday, July 10, 2009

Cyclic Defrost Magazine

Cyclic Defrost Magazine

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Lokai – Transition (Thrill Jockey/Fuse)

Posted: 09 Jul 2009 10:15 PM PDT

Creaking wood, scraped metal and buffeted wind, thick with dank portent and evocative of a pitching, heavily-laden cargo ship, mark the opening moments of ‘The Road’, the first piece on Lokai’s stunning sophomore album ‘Transition’. Four years on from their debut ‘7 Million’ and the Vienna-based duo Florian Kmet and Stefan Nemeth have sharpened their sound into a tight, taut fusion of electroacoustic instrumentation and dub – in the loosest sense – atmospherics. It is this use of the recording space as an instrument that lifts ‘Transition’ into the category of masterpiece.

Central, then, to this recording is the new circumstances Lokai found themselves in: a new rehearsal space in Kmet’s old apartment, complete with an array of acoustic and ‘electromechanical’ instruments, an inspired heating system, and recording facilities. With no rush to complete the recording, all pieces here have a studied, thoroughly fleshed out feel, coherent structures developed from initially loose, free-form components. All aural elements -’proper’ instruments , found objects, and the ever-fluctuating hum of the recording space – are given equal billing, there is no hierarchy. Electronic processing appears to minimal, with most sounds and activity derived from close investigations into the acoustic properties of the instruments, objects, and room.

There is certainly something Viennese here, particularly the meticulously recorded rattling which constitutes percussion, reminiscent of Martin Brandlmayr’s work in Radian (of which Nemeth is also a member) and Trapist, but the interest in rhythmic structure here, its development and deconstruction, is unique. In ‘Volver’, sustained keyboard tones, cracked guitar riffs and brushed metal gradually coalesce into something approaching exotica. ‘Glimmer’ weaves spacious Harry Partch plunks into something suitable for a postmodern Sergio Leone. These moments however remain fragile, and fleeting, and it’s the Lynchian gloom which overwhelms and captivates, seeping in like mist, putting you right beside Nemeth and Kmet as they create these spellbinding tapestries.

Light // Ljós // Licht from Gerald Zahn on Vimeo.

Joshua Meggitt

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Alif Tree – Clockwork (Compost/Inertia)

Posted: 09 Jul 2009 10:12 PM PDT

While Alif Tree has created a reputation for both his music and his cooking, aside from an enigmatic bio on his website, tracking down information on him is almost impossible, particularly if your French is not exactly fluent! It’s left then to perceptions gained from the music itself. This wouldn’t normally concern me too much, but his newest album, Clockwork, contains a wide array of collaborators and I really don’t want to leave myself looking ignorant by not acknowledging these correctly. So my apologies if I sell any of those collaborators, or indeed Alif himself, short.

The foundation of the album is nu-jazz – that blend of diminished chords and smooth electronic beats that reached it’s zenith in the early part of the 21st century. Thankfully, however, Alif is not content to simply make smooth background music. While the production is never short of crystal clear, there’s plenty going on around the edges to stop you nodding off. Subtle bubbling of processed acoustic instruments; a track suddenly stopping dead in a splay of subtle distortion; an 11/4 rhythm to get the head nodding atuned to, there are constant surprises and attractions. There’s also a diversity of styles which can, at times, seem a little confused, but are always pulled of with aplomb. The opening four tracks, for example, cover moody jazz, then electronic blues (with guest vocals from Tony Joe White) followed by ‘Never Be The Same’s blend of rocksteady and disco-house, complete with Jah-maican vocal stylings, before heading back to jazz leanings, this time with a trip-hop bent, a smooth female vocal delivery and just a hint of 50s showtune. This diversity is both a strength and a weakness. With an array of guest vocalists and tunes which seem to be tailor made for each specific voice, Alif demonstrates a sensitivity to the nuances of his collaborators, but also leaves his album sounding a little like a compilation rather than the statement of a single artist.

Don’t let this be seen as too much of a criticism, though. Each track in itself, right across Clockwork, has noteworthy features and is produced with excellence. So it doesn’t quite know exactly what it wants to be – ultimately, what’s the harm in that when the ride along the way is so constantly tumbling, turning and engaging?

Adrian Elmer

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at 5:23 PM