Wednesday 25 July 2012

Fractal & Eye - Izados 3

Album review by KevW


OK, let's make this very clear from the start: we're talking proper niche market stuff here. If you're not in the mood for listening to lengthy, ambient, instrumental drones then you're best bet it to stop reading right here and check out some of the free MP3s we posted earlier today. This split album (and by album, that is three tracks spread over around 45 minutes) is the latest on Peruvian label Super Space Records and teams up Peruvian artist Fractal (who gets one track) with Argentinian project Eye (who are given the other two). Calling any of this trio "songs" would be pushing it a bit, they're better off being labelled as abstract sound pieces.

Eye's 'Glacier' doesn't exactly burst in to action, but then it's got quarter of an hour to do its business in so why would it? Following the grindingly slow opening few minutes of build-up, the track begins to hiss and fuzz rhythmically, a bit like taking an old Kraftwerk tape and stretching it as far as you can without it snapping. It creates a mood alright, but whether or not you'll enjoy it depends on how open your mind is to truncated repetition with very little variation. The choice to pair this track up with two from the Argentine noisemakers is a good one, as they trade in similarly drawn-out anti-songs.

The steady hum of 'Hz' eventually morphs itself into a quiet throbbing, industrial oddity before an increasing set of rapid electrical pulses jitter into action. It's a bit like listening to an old dial-up internet system trying to connect. Only much much longer. There's a few moments respite before a monotonous alarm sounds, leading us into a finale of what sounds like being trapped inside a giant lazer generator. If that seems odd then they follow it with the equally baffling 'Alejado', a quiet drone of epic proportions that steadily shifts, ending in the nearest the album comes to actual music. It's an unsettling listen and those of a nervous disposition will struggle, but it's great to hear something created with literally no compromise whatsoever. Is it any good? I'm buggered if I know.




Super Space Record's website





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