Good music of any kind is a product of taste and restraint. It doesn'tmatter if you're working with a single contact mic or a fullorchestra—if you lack taste and restraint, you won't end up with decentresults. Unfortunately, this collaboration really lacks. I've enjoyedStorey's work in Zoviet France and Rapoon, so this was a let-down. Amyriad of samples and loops are employed, so it's a bit perplexing tofind an overwhelming sameness throughout. I think this arises from thefact that most of the loops seem identical in length, and resultingchunky rhythm confines it from ever going anywhere. Embarrassingcheesiness emerges in the poor attempts to inject a sense of placethrough the use of native music samples—sort of like dark ambient'sanswer to world music. Also troublesome is the appearance of datedsynth lines and choir voices. Poor sound quality plagues the wholething, and really flattens the sound. But I'm not sure that fullersound would make this any better. I would have enjoyed this much morehad it been stripped to a more subtle, minimal approach. There are someinteresting sounds here, but they are overwhelmed by the uninterestingones. At least some restraint was shown in limiting this release to 500copies.
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