Philip Jeck - SAND - CD - Touch

www.touchmusic.org.uk

Wringing alternative harmonies, and hidden gestures from over-used vinyl is Jeck’s speciality, and with a clutch of notable releases on Touch so far, his reputation as the enfant terrible of turntablism is without doubt, and still remains unchallenged for this listener.

Recorded in Liverpool, and Holland, SAND sees Jeck drawing from an impressive collection of obscure vinyl, twisted and permutated via his idiosyncratic inventory of Fidelity record players, filtered and distilled through effects, mixers and mini disc recorders. Jeck’s surreal hall of mirrors technique effortlessly generates a hybridised, lo-fi skrim, where one can occasionally pick out the source material, and witness it being subjected to all manner of distortions and deformations, generating an active fabric that is at once alive and constantly mutating.

Here, Jeck appears to have plundered his archive for old recordings of Emerson, Lake and Palmer, as their “Fanfare for the Common Man” emerges as a common theme, particularly on track 3, aptly entitled “Fanfares”. Sometimes, as on Fanfares Forward, the source material is xeroxed away into pure drones and texture, all detail has been erased, whereas Residue flips between perspectives, dropping in oddly paced sequences, creating a disorientating swirl of tones and overlays. Overall, fairly standard fare for Jeck adherents, and a worthy entry point to his work for the neophyte. Recommended. BGN.

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Published:: 3.30.08 / 8am

Category:: Reviews (digital composition, audio art)

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WHITE_LINE was set up three years ago, in order to play and promote the work of artists and musicians working under the banner of “minimalism”, in all its many guises. This has led to a regular and highly successful mix slot on the Garden of Earthly Delights radio show in the UK, and guest appearances on Resonance FM (frequenzen show) , and Darkness Drops Again radio in Czechoslovakia. I now aim to extend the remit of the mix slots by reviewing (as often as possible) material that encapsulates and crystallises the minimalist ethic, and hopefully I’ll be leading artists and audiences alike towards a deeper appreciation of this and other marginalised genres. I welcome your comments, and criticisms, and would love to hear from labels and artists who would like their work showcased on the show, or reviewed here. I regret that due to time constraints with my own recording schedule and visual art works, I cannot review everything that is sent to me, but will endeavour to give exceptional work an “honourable mention” at the very least, and links to quality sites that I think worthy of mentioning.

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Philip Jeck - SAND - CD - Touch

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