Nothing To See Here comes as a very limited
edition CD only album. Each copy is presented in a specially
designed packaging fronted by an authentic black and
white photograph. Manifold Records boss Vince Harrigan
got the idea after starting collecting pictures found
in diverse flea markets, and asked 310’s Tim Donovan
and Joseph Dierker to collaborate on a new ambient project
to kick off Manifold’s sister label Desolat Recordings.
Subtitled Short Stories By 310, Nothing
To See Here is a collection of fifteen untitled
tracks built around disembodied samples taken from old
black and white movies. Moving away from their urban
constructions, the duo present here a much darker set
of abstract atmospheres, where excerpts of conversations,
decontextualised environmental noises and scraps of
more elaborated musical structures tirelessly cross
the spectrum without apparent motive. Donovan and Dierker
create dense, magmatic soundscapes, reminiscent of Biosphere’s
Substrata
expeditions. Here though, the open spaces are replaced
by less polished, more disquieting ambiences, suggesting
confined environments and claustrophobic situations.
Nothing To See Here opens with the sound of
running water, and as the track slowly evolves into
a sonic clockwork mechanism, counting down seconds of
passed moments, the album leaps into sculptural impressions
of isolationist worlds. The impressive consistency of
sound achieved by the duo all the way through this album
means that nothing comes to disturb the inherent nature
of the tracks, even when human interferences seem to
drag the listener back to reality. The treatments applied
on voices especially are more intricate than in the
band’s previous work. Not only 310 intentionally extract
words from conversations to serve their purpose, but
they also distract their audience from any possible
context by inserting other vital elements of human life.
Only towards the end of the album a rational question
is thrown as an invitation to relive or pursue the experience,
depending on your frame of mind.
Nothing To See Here is an ambitious record,
and one that 310 only could manage to keep on track
without indulging in useless sonic landscaping. The
duo go back to the source of their music, as they abandon
for a moment beats and urban references to explore new
grounds.
5/5 |
