electrocd

Review

François Couture, AllMusic, May 1, 2002

John Young proceeds from the familiar to the alien, from the instantly recognizable and close sound source to more extensively treated and masked results. It may be the oldest trick in the musique concrète book, but it remains the best way to capture the listener’s attention from the beginning. Obviously, Young understands this principle and applies it well - better than that, actually. Each of the five pieces on La limite du bruit (“The edge of noise”) develops a network of visual and sonic images from a simple starting point. Each one is exemplary in construction, focus and sonic transformations. Pythagora’s Curtain picks up on the origin of the word “acousmatics” (sound heard while its source is veiled, like Pythogora teaching from behind a curtain). The sound of chalk on a chalkboard opens the piece and gradually spirals out of reach as other “thoughts” enter the picture. Inner, Virtual and Time, Motion and Memory function as a cycle of sorts. They start with the sounds of human breathing, wind and a rusty swing respectively. The latter is particularly evocative, its structure allowing the listener to insert his or her own memories in the piece. Liquid Sky focuses on rain; the softness of its tender finale (a return to the pure recording of a rain in a puddle) couldn’t have provided better closure for this remarkable CD. All these sonic materials have been widely used by electroacoustic composers since Pierre Schaeffer and one must admit that Young’s works lack some originality. Nevertheless, his music is constantly lively, engaging and even entertaining. He comes from the same British school that gave us Jonty Harrison and Denis Smalley, but he manages to avoid the dryness usually associated with their work. Recommended.

… his music is constantly lively, engaging and even entertaining.