Xerrox vol.2 (reMASTER)

alva notoが2009年にリリースしたxerroxシリーズの第2弾がリマスターされて再発。第1作と同様に、本作も外部音源から抽出したサンプルを出発点としている。今回は、Sunn O)))のコラボレーターであるStephen O'Malleyや作曲家Michael Nymanの音源断片、さらに坂本龍一との2004年「Insen」ツアーからの抜粋も素材として使用されている。洗練されたサウンドデザインと結び付けて語られることが多いが、Xerroxシリーズではより親密な身振りや感情的な感性が表れている。本作では、これまでの作品に見られたコンセプチュアルで秩序立った側面からさらに踏み出し、心温まるエレジーから、太陽系外の領域を思わせる幻想的なSF的音像まで、多彩な広がりを見せている。

Reproduction, alteration, and decay are the main focuses of Alva Notos Xerrox series: the music consists of samples altered by inserting noise through several rounds of copying. The resulting tracks seem to be atomizing before your ears, with an occasional effort to coalesce. Where Vol. 1 offered a sequence of alternating short raw pieces and mid-length ambient tracks, Vol. 2 presents itself as a more even and almost continuous suite of pieces. Vol. 1 was subtitled "Old World"; this one is "To the New World," but the meaning of those subtitles remains obscure and might very well be restricted to the geographical origins of the samples (provided this time around by Stephen OMalley, Michael Nyman, and Ryuichi Sakamoto). The album starts with a long (over 25 minutes) piece split into four tracks, then a series of shorter compositions between two and eight minutes in duration. Like on Vol. 1, the music here is a lot more "ambient" than Alva Notos average, but also starker and more multilayered than the first installment. It makes for an absorbing listen, especially in the opening suite and the three "Xerrox Monophaser" tracks. You can either study the copying/decaying processes used by Carsten Nicolai, or simply dive into this soundworld of gritty textures, glitchy pulses, and skeletal pieces whiteout melodies. If you dont intend to collect the whole series, skip Vol. 1 and start here. ~ Francois Couture