If the original Hafler Trio performances and releases of How to Slice a Loaf of Bread can be seen as full meals, Colin Potter’s reworking is a compact collection of ideas shoved into one of those toasters that squish the sandwich into a condensed snack. A Pressed On Sandwich doesn’t cover the depth and breadth of the original releases but Potter does augment the material into a worthy piece in its own right.
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Despite being the work of Colin Potter, this album looks, sounds and reads like The Hafler Trio. A Pressed On Sandwich is instantly recognisable as being cut from the same loaf as the original releases, Potter hasn’t gotten rid of any of the sounds’ identities. He takes an overview of all the sonic landscapes initially conjured up by Andrew McKenzie creating a digest of the source material. Indeed a quote of Potter’s in the press release acknowledges this, stating it was his “intention to preserve the overall shape and sense of the material, but at the same time move it to another (sonic) place.” There is a completely different mood and space captured here and as short as it is (just over 18 minutes compared to the 5 hours plus of How to Slice a Loaf of Bread) it is obvious that there’s more to this sandwich than the two slices of bread on the outside.
The piece begins with a slowly changing drone and crumbs of sound popping from the speakers, not very interesting at normal volumes but extremely rich in texture when the volume is turned up to a sensible level. There isn’t the same slow build up with Potter’s work and at first it seems that there isn’t as much time to relish in the details. Granted it’s nowhere near hyperactive but it does seem to rush through the sounds relative to the more reserved pace of How to Slice a Loaf of Bread. This isn’t a problem in the least; it is merely a different approach by Potter to put his own spin on the material. It does eventually level out into a meditative throb that takes on the religious character present on How to Slice a Loaf of Bread. This flows into the final section where there is a heavy emphasis on high frequencies. I found this last portion painful to listen to, even at low volumes. This deters me from always listening the whole way through as more than once I’ve been left with a headache after playing the full piece.
Potter has done such a wonderful job on this release, doing justice to McKenzie’s own inimitable work even if it caused me physical pain. In addition, until a McKenzie-approved reissue of the How to Slice a Loaf of Bread discs happens, A Pressed On Sandwich is as close as many will get to hear it.
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