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Synth outfits such as Arc, Node, Redshift and Free System Projekt trace their inspiration back to the Spacemusic scene of 1970s Germany. Their music means to further explore the unique atmospheres and moods first discovered during this period. Add to this group of adventurers Nothing But Noise. The trio of Daniel Bressanuti, Dirk Bergen and Erwin Jarbot have released Not Bleeding Red, a double disc for both the Facebook generation and old-school sequencer buffs. Channeling the ethos of another era Nothing But Noise demonstrates more than enough ideas of their own. One of a handful of synthesists who are kicking the genre into a higher gear they know that this music does not thrill when it is happening digitally inside a computer. Studio photos reveal dozens of traditional keyboard synthesizers, sequencers and modular systems - as this is a genre that depends on technology as much as it does on aesthetics. The music gathers momentum and mystery as it moves along and becomes a dark and moody meditation on everything from the struggles of the 21st century to the intimacies of our own cosmic yearning. Muscular sequencer patterns palpitate in a pulsing groove - the fat echoing notes providing a syncopated chase through twilight realms. Electronic chords follow the quick cut key changes and dramatic stop and start of the surging rhythms. The relentless pace at times does wind down, propelling Not Bleeding Red more at the speed of thought than the speed of light. Fast or slow these pieces all possess a tempestuous energy - the aural manifestation of decades of study and utter devotion. It is in the strange modulations, bending notes and imaginative timbres that Bressanuti, Bergen and Jarbot show their love of synthesized sound. Offering everything fans want and mainstream critics scorn Not Bleeding Red delivers the goods. With ambitious innovation, emotional ferocity and spiritual top notes Nothing But Noise exists outside of contemporary trends yet seemingly beyond past movements as well.
- Chuck van Zyl/STAR'S END 5 July 2012 |
