John Chantler’s ever-searching sensibilities lead him back to Room40 for a suite of crystalline modular synth intricacies realised at his home studio, now located in Stockholm after stints in Japan and South London, with additional recordings made at his now-local, world renowned EMS facility.
Which Way To Leave? can be read as a response to his new surroundings; a sort of reflexive reaction filtered and felt out thru finely meshed, gaseous layers of melody and timbral thizz with an absorbing, refreshing sense of strolling momentum and lush mindfulness allowing him to imperceptibly fold in guest contributions from Carina Thorén (his partner in For Barry Ray) on electric bass, and Okkyung Lee on cello.
It’s a sound that lies on the border between new age optimism and the abstract traditions of 20th century concrète and electro-acoustic traditions, mixing the home-brewed, psychedelic potency of one discipline with the more studious processing, diaphanous dimensions and abstract textures associated to the other realm, making their putative borders porous and interchangeable via subliminal transitions and angular incision.
Which Way To Leave? can be read as a response to his new surroundings; a sort of reflexive reaction filtered and felt out thru finely meshed, gaseous layers of melody and timbral thizz with an absorbing, refreshing sense of strolling momentum and lush mindfulness allowing him to imperceptibly fold in guest contributions from Carina Thorén (his partner in For Barry Ray) on electric bass, and Okkyung Lee on cello.
It’s a sound that lies on the border between new age optimism and the abstract traditions of 20th century concrète and electro-acoustic traditions, mixing the home-brewed, psychedelic potency of one discipline with the more studious processing, diaphanous dimensions and abstract textures associated to the other realm, making their putative borders porous and interchangeable via subliminal transitions and angular incision.
STAFF COMMENTS
Barry says: Modern musique concrete for the discerning synthesist (or those fond of a synth or two). This is a suite of modular synth excursions and woven ambient textures, based on pinging vactrols and glassine hammered tones. Though there is a certain sparseness to the developmental process, it soon becomes warming and full-bodied, introducing washes of close reverb and top-heavy tines. Reminiscent of some of the more stripped-back collections on spectrum spools (Brett Naucke, Outer Space etc). Magnificently engrossing and imbued with a rich and communicable vision.TRACK LISTING
1. Falling Forward 03:38
2. Two And Four 02:18
3. Clearing 01:04
4. Fixation Pulse 06:22
5. Lesser Demands 02:27
6. All Visible Signs 06:31
7. First December 10:28
8. Second December 01:55
9. Beginning Again 06.56