Coming from the school of two guitars, bass and drums, I like to think thatmy interest over the years for certain areas of experimental,electronic-based music has not only lead to a slightly better understandingof the genre but to also recognize and appreciate its more salient artisticqualities. As Antimatter, San Francisco-based sound artist and audioengineer, Xopher Davidson, has recently released a solo disc that plays outlike an aural sojourn to the gallery exhibit of cutting edge abstraction.>From a Powerbook-based standpoint Antimatter vs Antimatter is acollection of experimental soundscapes, frequencies, instrument manipulationand rhythmic collages. Knowing that Davidson holds an MFA could provide someinsight as to his approach when constructing and composing with varioussound textures. Spanning just over an hour, the disc's seventeen tracks areemotionally varied from beautiful and seductive to angry and powerful.Tracks such as "Licht," "Phosphor" and "Gilded Pallor" creatively usetreated/processed guitar as the instrument of focus amidst the intricateweavings of controlled static, low frequencies and drones generated frommodified synthesizers. "Auxiliary" begins with what sounds like an orchestraperforming on an airport tarmac amid the screams of jet engines, all ofwhich abruptly cuts to the odd-timed rhythms of brush-whacked drums againstcycling Euro-styled violin lines that build in intensity over low-endkeyboard drones. "Rangefinder" uses the ultimate droning instrument, thebagpipes, to convey a drawn out melody which is based on layers of specifictones drifting in and out to give the impression of momentum while the lowerfrequencies are subtle and electronically enhanced. A number of the disc'stracks blend together seamlessly as not to interrupt the stream of soundand/or to allow for a musical continuum which results in gradualmodifications until a new composition is occuring. There are certain overallqualities and tones of Antimatter's sound design where, if the mood andsetting are just right, you could get lost in it the same way as when you'restaring at a great painting. Read More
