Electronic Barnacle Island is the project of Florida-based
Aaron Noel. Although he never had any musical training,
Noel started composing for the piano shortly after leaving
high school. Claiming influence from new age pianist
George Winston for his early work, Noel came into contact
with electronic sounds through the work of artists as
diverse as Vangelis, Tangerine Dream, Seefeel and Disjecta,
and swapped his piano for computers and electronic instruments.
Exploring an interesting range of slightly dark and
melancholic ambiences throughout Deeply Faulted
Area Resembling An Upright Deck Of Cards, Noel’s
music remains intrinsically melodic and emotional. Released
on newly formed Florida-based label Kirakira Records,
this first album from EBI combines experimental electronica
and melodic patterns into ever-changing atmospheric
structures, relentlessly exploring rich soundscapes
to extract from them their more organic elements, then
cautiously assembling them into melodic collages. Keeping
his distance with mainstream electronic artists thanks
to a very personal approach to sound processing, Noel
sculpts dense little sonic vignettes, often broken into
smaller sections articulated around beautiful sounds
and metallic beat structures. In just eight tracks spanning
just over forty minutes, he presents a convincing, if
sometimes predictable, collection of semi-abstract compositions,
kicking off with the somewhat abrasive Mortal Hood
Clip, build around a chaotic beat pattern and disjointed
melodic line. As the melody appear to progress with
difficulty, almost cutting its way though the dense
soundscape, it finally reaches a much lighter area,
unfortunately too close to Boards
Of Canada for comfort. Yet, this is a slight blip
that shouldn’t put the listener off as the rest
of the album denotes a much more personal touch. Despite
fiddling with a handful of upbeat pieces (Colourfloor,
Tender Snap Compartment), EBI’s terrain
of predilection is with downbeat compositions where
he shows off his talent for uncompromising sonic environments
best. Often complex and intricate, Noel’s creations
often disturb and charm at the same time, creating a
strange feeling of comfort in discomfort, leaving the
listener with more questions than answers.
If not a revolutionary album, Deeply Faulted Area…
remains interesting pretty much from start to finish.
With an approach to electronic sounds that differs from
that of most of his contemporaries, EBI credibly carves
here a series of rich ambiences and sound structures.
3.9/5 |
