Entrance

活動26年目を迎えるロサンゼルス発の実験音楽プロジェクトSissy Spacek。中心メンバー John WieseとCharlie Mummaは今回のアルバムで多彩なコラボレーターたちと共演。Tim Barnes、Marco Fusinato、Aaron Hemphill、Brad Laner、Katsura Mouri、Ralf Wehowsky、C Spencer Yeh という錚々たる顔ぶれが参加し彼らの即興演奏を通じてミュージック・コンクレートの新たな可能性を探求している。今作は録音された即興演奏を分解・再構築することで生まれた。Wieseによるテープ編集と音響操作によって、時間や空間に縛られない新たな形の即興演奏が作り出されている。音の断片が交錯しながら削ぎ落とされ重なり合い圧倒的な音響空間を構築している。

John Wieses seemingly endless discography includes harsh noise cut-ups as well as more haunting, nearly cinematic experimental works. His group Sissy Spacek (who, quite amusingly, are vastly more prolific as a recording act than their celebrity namesake) might be best known for their extremist take on grindcore, stuffing dozens of abrupt noise bursts onto 20-minute albums. However, the band also have numerous works which explore musique concrete and free improvisation, as well as large-ensemble performances of works composed by Wiese. In the past, Sissy Spacek recordings have included input from Aaron Dilloway, Kevin Drumm, Matmos, and members of the Los Angeles Free Music Society. Entrance, consisting of four lengthy pieces, features frequent collaborators C. Spencer Yeh (Burning Star Core) and Aaron Hemphill (Liars) as well as Medicines Brad Laner and post-industrial veteran Ralf Wehowsky, among others. Compared to other Wiese releases, Entrance is similar to the guest-heavy Magnetic Stencil series, a trilogy of mind-bending collages, two of which were improbably composed and mixed on the same day. As with those records, Entrance displays Wieses knack for arranging sounds so that theyre clear and controlled rather than overwhelmingly chaotic, even when hes using screeching strings, clattering percussion, or piercing feedback. There isnt necessarily a linear progression to these pieces, but it might be easy to imagine a horror-story narrative for "Web of Unfolding Appearance," and the pacing and abrupt changes keep you on the edge of your seat regardless. "Trancher and the Inheritors" makes heavier usage of blazing harsh noise and unhinged free jazz drumming, as well as more-mischievous sounds bringing to mind Zappas collage works like Lumpy Gravy, or Negativlands A Big 10-8 Place. "True Dimension (From the Opaque-Spike)" has moments that incorporate swarming drones but which quickly flash forward into something else before things get too hypnotic. Entrance is a captivating piece of audio cinema. ~ Paul Simpson