Machinefabriek Music For Studies

A score for the performance ‘Studies of a Figure in a Space’, directed by Bram Vreeswijk. This might be a short album (30 minutes), but it’s all over the place, ranging from delicate abstract pieces to raging outbursts of pure noise. The album comes in a nice matt paper folded sleeve…

The fiendishly busy Rutger Zuydervelt is back with a new disc, and this time it’s a recording of his score for the performance ‘Studies Of A Figure In Space’ by director Bram Vreeswijk and performer Alfredo Fernandez. The score begins under fairly minimal circumstances, and very slowly, Zuydervelt’s muffled tones begin to cluster together.

Presumably we’re listening to processed guitar tones, and during ‘Study 1′ there are plenty of interesting harmonic exchanges across the two stereo channels. Over time the piece accumulates enough density to become an outright drone, ending in a fine, crackling mist of lowercase loveliness. So far, so good – this opening track must rank right up there among Machinefabriek’s finest recorded output of late.

Study 3

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Taking on a far more severe and noisy temperament, ‘Study 2′ is a collaboration with percussionist Rob van den Nieuwenhuizen. The first half of the piece brings to mind Mika Vainio’s coarsest analogue drones, making a towering din that sounds a bit like the hum from the back of a refrigerator amped up to eleven. For its second half the track takes on a more subtle electroacoustic temperament, marrying high frequency tones with intriguing rattling noises in the background.

After this excellent near quarter-hour piece, a three-minute interlude full of vague, sparsely laid out bass tones arrives, setting us up for the incendiary splurge of ‘Study 3′, which bombards the listener with soaring noise textures that only just maintain the air of refinement and civility characterising the rest of the score. More good stuff from the irrepressible Zuydervelt. – Boomkat review

Purcahse MP3 version from Boomkat here
Purchase CD version from Experimedia here

www.machinefabriek.nu