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It is so odd to hear its seasoned veterans tell us that, "There is no future in Rock n' Roll, only recycled past." Thankfully, the kind of work Jeffrey Koepper adventures in harbors not-yet-exhausted possibilities. On Konnektions (71'28") he dives in, dedicating deep energy to setting and getting his new musical mood just right. Its eight tracks, realized using slabs of old synthesizers and tone-tool modular contraptions, gradually dazzle us. As each piece opens, we become primed to expect complexity - and find every one presenting its own entrancing deployment of echoing sequencer variations. Spiraling through time the rows of motoring notes act to gradually mesmerize the listener. Patterns advance, recede, lengthen and contract through their octaves in a tripping mechanical choreography. These intriguing variations provide Konnektions with a unique feel - somewhere between the academics of Minimalism and the expansiveness of Spacemusic. Koepper's intricately pulsing ornamentation becomes somewhat softened through the addition of ethereal electronic harmonies. While dramatic chords offer a spacey coolness to the mighty pulse, this tightened structure brings our minds to the verge of revelation. Pop music works best if you do not listen too closely. Koepper's music is the opposite, asking the listener to reflect on the ways and power of sound. While our hearts alight with the longing to be swept away, our thoughts turn to the concept and the sensation of sound. Some are out there just hoping to be discovered, while others seem like strange new things waiting to be invented. With every new album release Koepper, and his cult of sonics, venture into the challenging realm of technology and creative impulse - in a questing, ever-roving engagement with Electronic Music.
- Chuck van Zyl/STAR'S END 3 September 2015 |
