Sometimes I wonder when this market overflow of LPD and EKS materialwill lighten up and allow for the fans to catch up. Unfortunately whenthere's scarecely limited releases that spring up terribly often, thisis becoming an increasingly difficult task. Does the words "economicrecession" mean anything to psychotic record pimps like Chris McBeth?Limited to 600 copies, this super-thick LP is described as continuingwhat was introduced on the CD issued last year on World Serpent byKa-Spel, 'Cast O'Grey Skreens.' While the LP is broken up into oneside-long track on side A and two on side B, I personally feel themusic echoes an older style of solo EKS recordings, with whimsicalcalliope-esque music, loops and gorgeous drones, rather than thesomewhat recent trend: a hodgepodge of almost sketchwork-like songsstrewn together as one super-lengthy track. "An Ill Wind" opens with adull roar, builds, then quiets down to a tinkling piano melody, prettyenough to can give any old-school fan goose-bumps. What followsincludes more shimmery instruments swaying along with Edward's vocalpleadings for a miracle. Then comes the unavoidable build-up and returnto the quiet melody again, this time with more haunting coloration andblurring. Side B begins with the 11+ minute "O'Reilly's Comet," with adriving looped pulse which has almost become a signature rhythm for themore experimental loops the Dots are prone to. There are a few momentswhere it picks up to an excited pace, but the 4/4 clanging onpercussive sound effects becomes somewhat monotonous for the duration.Almost predictably, the monotony is overtaken by sheer beauty in the11+ minute closer, "Safer than the Open," where drones of reverberatedvoices are layered with arrhythmic sound effects which give way to athundering few beats, a drop, and a fantastic return with some trulystunning string sounds. If form is more important than function, actquick on this release, as the deluxe package includes loads of goodies,but it might be worthwhile to wait for a forthcoming CD release whichwill hopefully include the tracks from the limited accompanying 7"record and that 10" out last year. Come on, Chris, didn't your mom everteach you to share?
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