Jon Borges, who also records as half of Pedestrian Depot, has chosen a project name that is only partially fitting for the sound he creates. While the Loneliness part is most fitting, given its isolated and depressing sound, the Everyday part maybe not so much. False Validations is a standout within a field of frigid waves and minimalist drone, the sound of beautiful depression.
This is clearly a "genre" record that is focusing on, and embracing a very specific style and sound.In this case that sound is a suite of beautiful, yet lonely stretches of sparse electronics.The sparseness can be highly misleading though:"What Doesn't Belong" has a lengthy and constant sound throughout, but Borges builds the piece layer by layer, going from a thin drone to a heavy, rich piece that emphasizes all ends of the sonic spectrum.
The 11 minute "Pretender" has Borges using its duration to build from a cold, shimmering passage of sound into a more complex, heavy composition that manages to be simple, yet gripping.As my attention drifted in and out on my first time through the record, each time it came back I was struck at how much the piece had evolved and expanded from only moments before."No Permission Sought or Given" is still a beautiful piece of sound, but darkness enters the picture here.What sounds almost like echoing crashes in the far off distance is blending with ominous, humming electronics.Here the loneliness is enhanced by an additional ambiguous bleakness, with just a hint of evil.
The final two songs are no less isolating, but become darker and more dissonant as they conclude the album."Stasis Interlude" is still just as minimalist as the rest, but a hint of distortion enshrouds the electronics, at times a passage resembling a jet plane flying far off in the distance.The concluding "The Source's Ghost" is pushed further into darkness during its few minutes.Compared to the remainder of the album, it has a murky, sinister sound at first, and then becomes richer, heavily filtered and layered while still staying powerfully simple.Borges again cautiously utilizes distortion and noise to give texture to the piece, without offsetting its lonely and beautiful sound.
False Validations is not an easy record, being two vinyl sides of sparse, yet lovingly treated electronics and minimalist structures.It is not abrasive or harsh as a whole, but it is also the type of record that requires attention to fully appreciate.When given the intention, it is a gripping and intense, if somewhat depressing experience that is, as suggested, best experienced alone in a dark room.
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