Some records just seem to have the ability to make the
world disappear, change moods, relieve for a moment
from the pressure of urban life, and transport the listener
into a totally different universe. Songs From The
Belfry is one of these records. Making the most
of minimalist sonic structures, Asteroth collects on
this record a series of cinematic compositions that
are at once complex and melodic.
Hailing from Bristol where he recently established Float
Records, Mark Slater follows a split EP with The Knowledge
Of Bugs and an appearance on Clean Cut’s Cut
Your Teeth compilation with this first mini-album.
In just under forty minutes and five tracks, Slater
creates a beautiful and evocative piece of work in which
delicate guitar and glockenspiel sounds are left wandering
over vast sonic plains. Working at microscopic level,
arranging together a vast array of loops and layering
his sounds cautiously, Slater manages to create some
superb melodies and capture the imagination of the listener
from start to finish.
Evoking the work of the likes of Jim O’Rourke
or Fennesz, Songs
From The Belfry remains above all a totally unique
and personal journey through sounds. Minimal and bare,
the five compositions also appear rich and organic as
they constantly evolve, yet seem to remain almost static.
Songs From The Belfry is all about perceptions,
feelings and emotions. Technology doesn’t get
the least in the way of the message here, only assisting
Slater in the delivery. There are hints of classical
music and folk all the way through, giving this record
a pastoral touch reminiscent in part of Biosphere’s
Substrata,
while the electronic textures evolving in the background,
especially on Sun On Stone, Under Cover
Of Darkness and Lumina Pt. 2, provide
an interesting granular counterpoint. From the outset
of the modular Ariad to the complex layered
constructions of Under Cover Of Darkness or
Lumina to the elegant beauty of the hidden
track, which has something of Susumu
Yokota’s The
Boy & The Tree about it, this record constantly
delivers and remains extremely consistent all the way
through.
An extremely limited release - only two hundred copies
have been pressed – this mini album, which comes
in a screen-printed cardboard sleeve is a stunning piece
of work. Juggling with emotional soundscapes and evocative
melodies, this is by all means a very promising debut.
4.3/5 |
