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irr. app. (ext.), "Cosmic Superimposition"
Three years after the superb Ozeanische Gefühle a sequel arrives. I was so excited to have new music from Matt Waldron in my hand that I didn't bother to notice this fact printed on the back of the album's case; the relationship is evident nonetheless. The second in a proposed trilogy of recordings dedicated to the writing of Willhelm Reich, Cosmic Superimposition is another cinematic exploration of dynamic and organic relationships both sonic and metaphysical.
Errata in Excelsis
Approximately ten minutes into this single 44 minute piece I became aware of the fact that Waldron's music is best served by ambition. Ozeanische Gefühle was massive enough without the nudity of its inspiration, but with the knowledge of Reich's influence the record became monumental and exhibited a depth becoming less and less characteristic of modern, abstract music. It was based on an idea and that idea was fleshed out and developed with great care. Waldron has not backed down from his ambition and this sequel elaborates on the themes established by its predecessor.
An underlying philosophy prevails on both records as does a musical and visual aesthetic. Ozeanische Gefühle featured somewhat abstract visuals complimented by the presence of a vaguely hidden text, presumably from one of Reich's texts. That same text, more difficult to read this time around, is featured on the reverse side of Cosmic Superimposition. The organic nature of Ozeanische Gefühle has been retained for Cosmic Superimposition as well. The entirety of the album relies on the natural progression of one sound into the next; for the implications of Reich's text to be fully revealed in the medium of sound this is an absolutely necessary feature. One sound not influences how the next will sound, but it practically defines the role it will take in the procession of the sounds. The record does not, however, become an overly crowded mess of inter-related themes and impossibly labyrinthine connections. Instead, the music proceeds naturally and without noticeable interruption. The inclusion of grinding strings behind a wall of organ-like noise sounds as normal and acceptable as the pleasant ring of a bell. This is not to say that Waldron has simply struck a pleasant chord between disparate elements. Instead, he has found a red thread running through all of his samples and photographed that thread with perfect clarity. It just so happens that these samples radiate a peculiar and familiar light, a light that somehow recalls personal memories and secret thoughts. The combination of field recordings and presumably studio-based recordings lends Cosmic Superimposition an impressively diverse character one that is not unlike Ozeanische Gefühle.
It is not, however, a clone or a simple remix of that earlier album. As the reverse of Cosmic Superimposition states some of the same sources were utilized in the creation of this piece, but were used in radically different ways. The aforementioned field recordings served as the spine for Cosmic Superimposition, forcing the already existing material to twist and move in unusual ways. The imposition of these sounds upon the already existing music is so radical that the only obvious connection is the heavily cinematic nature of both the original and the mutant offspring. They sound as though they belong together, but to express why would be impossible—they are simply intuitively linked by the quality of their expression and the fluidity of their passing. As bird calls give way to the cosmic gurgle of synthesizers and manipulated drums the only evident connection between the albums and different points on both is in the witnessing of a transformation. Listening closely enough it is possible to hear how two disparate things might influence each other and how easy it is to forget that those connections are essential even if time makes them seemingly invisible.
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