NRC - 9 december - VoizNoiz 3

Het moest er een keer van komen en nu is het dan zover; Eric Vloeimans waagt zich op het pad van de Nu-jazz. Nederlands beste jazztrompettist volgt daarmee in de voetsporen van collega's Cong Vu, Nils Petter Molvaer en Eric Truffaz. En in dat internationale veld kan Vloeimans moeiteloos meekomen. Dat is grotendeels zijn eigen verdienste ; zijn bekende fluwelen toon kietelt de trommelvliezen. Vloeimans gebruikt veel minder effectpedalen dan Vu en heeft een gevarieerdere toon dan Molvaer, waardoor de elf nummers op VoizNoiz 3 een eerlijke en pure uitstraling houden. De blazer heeft het ook wel bijzonder getroffen met zijn partners in dit project. Samplekunstenaar Michel Banabila blinkt uit in het compileren van geluidsdecors die een duidelijke sfeer ademen zonder opdringerig te worden. Stadsgeluiden, ondefinieerbare radiostatische kraakjes, gespreksflarden, gebubbel en geratel vormen de ingredienten voor een stijlvol, bijna filmisch klankuniversum. Een volwaardige band met drummer, gitarist, turntablist en rietblazer houdt de cd ritmisch in het juiste spoor. Het eindresultaat is een verzameling sfeertekeningen die zich ongehaast ontvouwen en zich behaagelijk tot in de verste hoeken van het vertrek nestelen. Dit is loungemuziek van hoog niveau.

Edo Dijksterhuis



Muziekrant OOR : VoizNoiz 3

Michel Banabila uit Rotterdam is al jaren en jaren met ambient-achtig moois in de weer. Eric Vloeimans, trompettist uit datzelfde Rotterdam, geniet onderhand bijna wereldfaam in jazzkringen met zijn fraaie talent. Omdat trompettisten doorgaans voorop schijnen te lopen in crossovers van jazz naar wereldmuziek en electronica (denk Miles Davis,Don Cherry,Jon Hassel,Nils Petter Molvaer, Eric Truffaz), was het een kwestie van tijd eer Vloeimans die kant op zou stuiteren. In de persoon Banabila, die er het derde deel van zijn VoizNoiz-serie voor inruimde, trof hij de ideale partner. Vloeimans rekt zijn prachtige, melodisch rijke spel uit over de altijd boeiende sample-collages van Banabila, die een zekere ritmische component bovendien noiit uit de weg gaat, zonder dat beide partners ooit op de dansvloer terecht komen. Als de boel een enkele keer ('Damned') zelfs ouderwets en uitgesproken jazzy klinkt, is er sprake van een forse knipoog. Vloeimans en Banabila zetten hier spannende dingen neer, vol klamme verbeelding en bevrijdende openheid.

Jacob Haagsma.



JAZZ NU / BD / DE STEM : VoizNoiz 3

Soms word je gewoon aangenaam verrast, soms ook maakt muziek je met een mokerslag wakker. VoizNoiz 3, het derde album van geluidstovenaar Michel Banabila speelt interessante spelletjes met je zintuigen. Eerst komt het geruisloos als achtergrondmuziek voorbij maar daarna grijpt het je hardhandig bij de keel. Na de toch twee eerdere opvallende delen (VoizNoiz 1 en 2) gaat de in Rotterdam woonachtige Banabila samen met Nederlands beroemdste jazztrompettist Eric Vloeimans hand in hand een bruggetje over en betreedt een muzikaal landschap waar beiden nooit eerder waren geweest. Dat heeft alles te maken met de onorthodoxe aanpak van Banabila en het onwaarschijnlijke improvisatietalent van Vloeimans. Banabila's intrigerende spelletjes van samples vol stadsgeluiden en menselijke stemmen maar ook door mensenhanden ingespeelde partijen inspireerde de trompettist tot een aantal werkelijk adembenemend mooie solo's die hier fragmentarisch maar daardoor o zo spannend aan je voorbij trekken. Urban Jazz Scapes, de subtitel van deze cd, dekt dan ook maar half de lading. Je krijgt de neiging om dit werkstuk te categoriseren in de dance- en lounge-hoek maar daardoor doe je de autonome kwaliteit van VoizNoiz 3 danig tekort. Dit is het resultaat van een natuurlijke zoektocht van twee totaal verschillende muzikanten. Een zoektocht die nog maar net is begonnen maar nu al volledig tot de verbazing spreekt. (J J -Tracks/Challenge)

Jean-Paul Heck



GROOVES MAGAZINE : Spherics

From what I've seen on this label run by Hungarian Gabor Csupo, the roster tends to have a dark / industrial and machine-like throbbing-electronic pulsations. Banabila, led by composer Michel Banabila, follows in that same darkness-tinged post-rock-mindset with a release reminiscent of dimension-bending projects like Legendary Pink Dots, System 7, and Ozric Tentacles. It's an all-instrumental affair where layers of synths play a major part in carrying the trance-y pulse forward almost as much as the rhythms played behind them (sometimes live, others programmed). Moving slowly in a dense, Jovian atmosphere, some tracks bridge the gap into dub and others make use of record-popping glitches. Imagine Pole crossed with the Middle Eastern percussion of Muslimgauze and then flipped into more of an ambient, meditative zone. If there's more and more of this type of chillout music floating around, then at least Banabila does it well.

Manny Theiner



ELECTROAGE MUSIC : Spherics (Electroage's favourite - march 2002)

Michel Banabila is proving to be quite prolific, with his third album in less than 3 years; 'Spherics' follows the critically-acclaimed 'VoizNoiz 1 and II - Urban Soundscapes' releases. This time out, he leaves the avant-jazz and world-beat electronica behind for a rather ambient session, exploring the spatial qualities of sound. Utilising turn-tables, samplers, guitar, violin and drones, Spherics is a captivating album. 'A Strong Sense Of Urgency' sets things in motion with a repetitive reverberation effect, filled out by skittering drums, tolling drones and oscillating howls and scintillating electronic cries. The result is a trance-inducing epic, drawing the listener into a metallic sphere of noise and ambience before gradually fading out via gradual slowing-down into the pseudo-jazz funk of 'Tic Tac'. Again taking this slowly, the track unfolds with exotic atmospherics and lush drones resulting in a sublime trance-induction. Banabila takes his time on Spherics, letting each track slowly open and move through it's paces to a logical conclusion, with no rush or urgency. It¹s almost as though Banabila is guiding the music, letting it explore on it's own, rather than being the creator of the music. As such, each track is in excess of six minutes, often running over the eleven-minute mark. 'Suma 3 ­ White Mix' is a gorgeous ambient piece; quiet cymbal brushes keep time underneath an exhilaratingly airy and slow-moving construct of sound, which explores it's space with cautious movements, while slight flute and chilled jazz-like vocal samples join the cymbal brushes. It's counter part, 'Suma 4 ­ Blue Mix', is a coolly minimal piece with soundtrack-like textures and subtle hollow percussion, slight piano chords and wind instruments adding to the expansive sense of space and atmosphere with wonderous results. 'Science Freak' takes an orchestral approach, with strings playing aside repeating pulses and drones, and 'Worm-Jazz' adopts a dark jazz texture with rattling drums and crooning trumpets below the surface. Indeed, the track worms it's way slowly around the rhythms and sounds, like a great space-faring organism. And lastly, 'Primitve Lab' closes the album with great quietude; drones, languidly percolating percussion and starkly minimal electronic details swirl together with as much randomness as careful control. Spherics is perfectly titled, as each track moves within a great cavern of space, curving and spiraling with exploratory torpidity. What Banabila has created here is truly gorgeous and a great achievement in the study of sound structures. It's also compelling and engaging to a great degree, taking the listener into a new world of spaces and sounds. Spherics could very well be one of the best albums of 2002.

Phosphor .



ALTERNATIVE PRESS MAGAZINE : Spherics

Though quite unlike Michel Banabila's two VoizNoiz albums, Spherics is just as excellent and even more compelling. As the title suggests, the music is distinctly atmospheric, but it's far from ambient. The title of the opening track "A Strong Sense of Urgency," succinctly describes the entire album's mood. Distinctly cinematic and frequently unnerving, each of the seven tracks is gripped with a noirish sense of isolation and the chill of a lingering menace. The music is marked by the same trip-hop textures and jazzy European electronics that distinguished Banabila's previous work, but the result is stunningly different, genuinely haunting and nothing short of hypnotic.

Mark Burbey



FREQ.ORG : Spherics

Blessed with a stern bass presence, Spherics rumbles awake in Dub style, clicks and whips up post-Industrial glitches while spinning a web of atmospherics around the whole caboodle with steadfast dedication to the details of drum sounds and low end pressure. Opening number "A Strong Sense of Urgency" is well named, chilled with clattery skunk breakbeat paranoia and a looming rhythm which propels the listener into unwitting edginess, and matter proceed in similar style from there. Despite the rhyhmic frigidity of some of Michel Banabila's programming and sequencing, there is an organic quality to the arrangements on Spherics. These can be found in the hooting owl and virtual passing car horn on "Tic Tac" or the rainfall electronics of "Worm-jazz", where brushed cymbals contribute to an expectant mood built on slow Industrial Dub rhythms and what sounds like a steel pressing plant getting to slow grips with Reggae while a big band suffer a nervous breakdown in the nearest crawlspace. Less ominously, "Science Freak" wheezes and snickers complainingly from the depths of an iron lung shot headfirst into the diminishing depths of space inhabited only by needle dust and self-absorbed bass. The incipient tensions in the album make for a subtly disturbing listen; and the offer of release witheld, while enhancing the edginess, can also be successfully dissipated into surrendered relaxation. The lengthy "Suma 4 - Blue Mix" washes in on a calming tabla-styled rhythm, gentle bass and simple melody, while Jorien Muste's soothing violin strokes meshed with crackles and Ambient heartbeat sussurus roll through an equally extended "Suma 3 - White Mix". The final act of suspended animation thawed into slow pulsating rhythm comes with "Primitive Lab", where vital signs are restored gently in preparation for removing the electrodes and drifting back to mundane reality.

Linus Tossio



HTV MAGAZINE : VoizNoiz 3

Vloeimans was vorig jaar te gast bij het derde VoizNoiz-project van sample-artiest Michel Banabila. Een heel ander verhaal. Hier gaat het vooral om hippe grooves, met overigens een behoorlijk natuurlijk geluid, mede omdat behalve (veel) elektronica en processors ook echte instrumenten worden ingezet: contrabas (Guus Bakker), saxofoon en basklarinet (Frank van der Kooij), gitaar en drums (Hans Greeve). En stemmen, veel stemmen, opgenomen in allerlei onverwachte omgevingen (straat, film, station enzovoort), en (meestal) onherkenbaar vervormd. En trompet dus: Eric Vloeimans legt hier en daar met zijn stralende geluid een inventieve bovenlaag in het geluid (en dat een van die nummers Vloeivoiz heet is dus niet meer dan terecht). Het hééft wel wat, die collagehobby van Banabila en zijn vrienden. Ergens tussen lui en loom, en fel en opwindend, tussen intellectuele muzikale experimenteerlust en muziek van de straat. En dan wel steeds met een onontkoombare ritmische impuls.



CHAINDLK.COM : VoizNoiz 2

I really dig the description of "mesmerizing trip hop listening experience", used by the label in an attempt to define what is just that what those words say, but yet so much more : Michel Banabila's second CD "VoizNoiz - part II", part of the Urban Sound Scapes series is a mind-altering thing... Rotterdam-based sound-manipulator Banabila has collected a bunch of voices and other sounds and turned it into this swirling electronic voyage that peeks into experimental musique concrete (never getting annoying though), lets you vanish within clouds of soundscapes and patterns of beats and doesn't ever forget the time-frame it is coming out in. Pulsing beats, freezing german-like Kraftwerk robot voices, beautiful patterns of changing rhythmical structures, skillfully arranged into a nice album where sounds and voices have never been used so magically together before, treated as one single thing, one entity. What I also really loved in this album is the use of almost jazz-line-up instruments (i.e. the soooo english and soooo cool song "Dinoh Dinoh", with an uprigth bass sample, funky brass instruments and hammond sounds) and other traditional instruments such as guitars, drums, bass clarinet... You got to check this one out !

Marc Urselli-Schaerer



CHAINDLK.COM : Spherics

You would expect a Dutch like Michel Banabila to release an album such as this one on the national label Staalplaat, instead he chose Tone Casualities, one of California's most interesting labels for experimental and avant ambient music. This CD, which follows the two Tone Casualities releases VoizNoiz I and II, contains seven tracks of pure textural work, soundscapes that reinvent turntablism through the use of pops and clicks. You feel like you are listening to an old and worn-out vinyl and you are possibly touched by the warmth that those little noises transmit, but instead you are being hypnotized by seven smooth and beautiful compositions whose title, "Spherics", fits right on (maybe 'cause it recalls the very shape of those old records you used to dislike when CDs overtook). Created with editing, splicing and sampling and enriched by Jorien Muste's violin and Piet Lichtveld's guitars (I really like what the guitar does!) "Spherics" achieves some amazing and soft ambience (with occasional cute percussion samples) and goes well beyond the concept of a plain ambient album when it reaches into minimal rhythmical structures and makes it huge with cool deep droning sounds (by some mysterious guy/band/machine called Bobby - there was a Japanese noise band once called Billy, maybe it's a relative) that actually give it a quite a push sometimes. The evolution of a song is real slow, the peace is layed back and small bits of sounds make it cooler every 16 bars or so, but as you all know good things come to those who wait ;-) In conclusion it's a great piece of sounds, I really enjoyed listening to it and I think you will too, especially cause you know you are listening to a CD and so you won't be cursing and getting crazy cleaning the needle, which you would do if this was an LP, trust me! ;-)

Marc Urselli-Schaerer



LEGENDS MAGAZINE : Spherics

As always, Banabila moves emotions like the moon pulls the sea - creating ebbs and flows in our thoughts and moods wherever and whenever he pleases. Spherics can be all-encompassing. Or it can be a background to chill out to. It's up to the listener. In his past VoizNoiz project, co-titled 'Urban Soundscapes', Michel Banabila shows us how well he can combine noises of reality to create backgrounds of music. In Spherics he does the opposite - creating a sheer look into unreality and what it must sound like. All of the sounds have components in the real world - that might be a breath of wind you hear - but are infused with a metallic sourness that keeps it from being our world. The CD is only seven tracks in length - half of a full length by today's standards. But it ranges from the shortest track, Science Freak, at just over six and a quarter to the nearly twelve minute Primitive Lab. One of the longer tracks is Suma 3. Suma 3 - White Mix somehow flows through you. It hovers just on the very edge of noise wash without plunging over, keeping the listener intensely aware of the music while remaining subconscious. At over 11 minutes, it could have been trimmed - but even so it has a wonderful culmination of voices, floating synths, subtle bass and rhythm. Science Freak is a great name for Track 4. It has a disturbing nature about it, partly grinding on your nerves, partly evoking your fears. It grows to huge proportions. There is also the continuing Suma 4 - Blue Mix. While the first part of this duo had an intense background, Blue Mix is smooth and introspective. Tribal rhythms are woven deep into the bulk of the track, washed over by a constant blue current of soundwaves. Following Science Freak, it's a very comfortable return to a nicer, less disturbing place. I've done a few things with Spherics. I've written and worked with it as background. I've plugged headphones in and closed my eyes to it. This is a versatile CD. I think this is the best of his work I've heard thus far.

Marcus Pan



LEFANTASTIQUE.NET : VoizNoiz 2

Second album solo de l'architecte sonore Michel Banabila en provenance du label Californien dont nous ne cessons de vanter les talents de découvreurs tant nous voguons, dans leur catalogue, de surprises en surprises (récemment, le dernier Flying Dutchman, Kuroï MoriŠ) Appelé tout simplement Voiz Noiz 2, Banabila annonce donc d'emblée la couleur et la voie qu'il compte suivre: celle de la continuité par rapport à un Voiz Noiz tout en inventivité sonore, l'idée essentielle résidant dans le sampling de voix enregistrées au hasard des rues, des gares et des bâtiments de Rotterdam (en Hollande) et de Sana'a (Yemen). Loin du travail bruitiste auquel on pouvait s'attendre avec une telle annonce et le nom même du concept, Michel Banabila propose des mélodies étranges mais terriblement envoûtantes faisant d'une voix d'enfant une note de jazz posée dans un univers drum'n bass. Tout simplement un excellent album d'ambient expérimentale sorti sur un excellent label.

J.C.



ALL MUSIC GUIDE : Spherics.

Michel Banabila's previous two albums, VoizNoiz I and VoizNoiz II, were brilliant and exhilarating exercises in avant-funk noise and virtuoso sampling. Those who fell in love with those two discs may be a bit taken aback by this one, which is much more moody and ambient, and substantially less groove-oriented. Joined by guitarist Piet Lichtveld, violinist Jorien Muste, and a percussionist named Bobby (who is credited only with playing the "cymbale-drone"), Banabila creates a series of seven long slabs of brooding atmospherics (which is probably where the album gets its name). "Tic Tac" makes subtle references to reggae in its dub-wise flavor and percussive backbeat; the aptly titled "Science Freak" juxtaposes glitchy sampling with what sounds like LP surface noise and a faint violin drone; and the eerie "Primitve Lab" unfolds with almost painful slowness over the course of its nearly 12 minutes and is ambient almost to the point of subliminality. This is good stuff, though not as compelling as the VoizNoiz albums.

Rick Anderson.



ALOHA : VoizNoiz 2

Een publiek figuur kun je Michel Banabila niet noemen. Foto's, optredens en interviews zijn schaars. Dat past hem wel. Als een schim in de nacht beweegt de rotterdamse geluidsbouwer zich immers door het muzikale landschap. Of hij nu ambient of wereldmuziek maakt, of meer musique concrete, zoals hier op het tweede deel van zijn Urban Sound Scapes- project, de sfeer is altijd even ongrijpbaar. Er gebeurt van alles in, zonder dat je ergens exact de vinger op kunt leggen. Zijn VoizNoiz-platen zijn daarbij speelser dan zijn ander werk, en wekken de indruk dat al die samples vol stemmen en tikken, ritsels en kirren, potten en pannen, zuchtjes en plokjes, 'tikkertje en verstoppertje' spelen, tussen de talloze verschillende elctronische beats en levende instrumenten door. Deel 2 is diverser dan deel 1, soms op het abstracte af, maar altijd groovy, ondanks de schijnbare chaos en hoe minimaal ook soms. Een droomplaat, letterlijk en figuurlijk.

Swie Tio



RAILS : VoizNoiz 2

Dit is geen alledaags hapklaar brokje. Het experiment en het ongewone prikkelt. Merkwaardig en sinister. Trage tempo's. Je moet ervoor in de stemming zijn, maar voor fijnproevers een aanrader.

Bob Fosko.

Slalom tussen opzwepende beats en hypnotiserende soundscapes. Het lijkt wel of de keuze niet gemaakt kan worden. Misschien drukt het juist daardoor ook wel perfect de tijdgeest uit.

Peter Bruyn.



THE ELECTRONIC ART NETWORK : Spherics

Nach 'VoizNoiz 2' erfahren wir nun dieses Album von Michel Banabila. Diesmal in Zusammenarbeit mit Jorien Muste und Piet Lichtveld, die den arkustischen Teil übernehmen. Tiefe Subbässe und lauernde Sphären gestalten ein Klangbild, dass zum Nachdenken anregt. Teilweise wird diese Atmosphäre wieder durch industriell angehauchte Beatexperimente durchbrochen, wobei allerdings eine etwas einfache Struktur die Überzeugungskraft schmälert. Die filmisch anmutenden sieben Tracks werden durch knirschende und knuspernde Sounds modernisiert und der Einfluss von Jorien Muste (Violine) lässt die Streicher nicht nach Billigsynthie klingen. Konzeptionell ist das Release ziemlich rund und in sich schlüssig, wirkt aber beat-technisch teilweise unausgefeilt. Das Ambiente (sei es in Form von Grundrauschen generiert oder durch Effekte erzeugt) hebt diese Schwäche allerdings wieder auf.

Nag Champar



LIVE XS : VoizNoiz 2

Michel Banabila is een bezig baasje, dit album is deel twee uit zijn 'Urban sound scapes' - serie. Samples van stadse geluiden worden ingebed in mooie, sferisch opgebouwde, ambient-house achtige geluidslandschappen. Op VoizNoiz 2 weet banabila te verassen met een unieke mix van geluidsexperimenten in combinatie met relaxte, dromerige dance. Voorbij komen samples van onder meer trams en olifanten en ook de vocoder in combinatie met stem blijkt een geliefd speeltje van Michel te zijn. Juist die geluiden en effecten maken de dance van Banabila tot iets unieks. Ook het gebruik van jazzy blazers in een nummer als 'Dinoh Dinoh' geeft de muziek iets heel eigens. Lekker ! Het tempo zou iets vaker opgeschroefd mogen worden. Een product waar je internationaal mee voor de dag kan komen.

Leon Weterings.



BOSTON HERALD : Spherics

Michel Banabila, who grew up in the Netherlands, has produced a lush blend of atmospheric soundscapes on his latest disc, "Spherics." Banabila, who handles the samples and edits, works with Piet Lichtveld (guitar); Jorien Muste (violin); and Bobby (cymbals, drone). The quartet combines to produce a lush, soothing orchestration that is parts Brian Eno and Snoop Dogg. Each of these seven movements is distinct, though they all have a pair of similarities: they are brooding and hypnotic. "Suma 4 - Blue Mix" is the album's standout. It features a slow beat and warm percussion. The track flows with slow and even layers. At the opposite end of the spectrum is "Worm-Jazz," a heavier, noisier track. Most of these cuts have a low end that powers the trance-like beat. "Tic Tac" settles into a funky groove after opening with some nifty organ. At points, some of these tracks take on a drone-like quality that can be jarring if not downright troublesome. "Science Freak" features a grinding that sounds like (but is not) a record needle on mucked-up vinyl. It's a little too jarring. With "Spherics," Banabila has created a backing track for everyday life. It is moody and low and it hardly ever fails to satisfy.

Michael J. Ryan



FAQTMAGAZINE : VoizNoiz 2

Soundscapes are rarely this funky - "urban rhythms" is more like it. Michel Banabila, sound artist, returns with his second Voiznoiz venture, and while it the first was issued only months ago, his musical maturity is clearly evident. Mixing live instrumentation with vocal cut-ups and sampled sound, kind of like The Grassy Knoll as remixed by Prefuse 73, Banabila and crew manage to keep tweaking your ears for the duration of the disc. "One For The Road" backs its lazy jazz shuffle up with radio static, patient scratches, and loads of found sounds; "Heavy Gravity", meanwhile, could be a dubby, electrified remix of Geggy Tah's "Whoever You Are". While "Voiznoiz 2" isn't a very challenging listen, if you find this in the bargain bins (which, sadly, is where it will most likely wind up), pick it up and enjoy Banabila's energized urban experience.

Jason Olariu



EVOLUTIONMUSIC : VoizNoiz 2

Dedicata da quasi 10 anni al trip hop e soprattutto al sound di Hull da cui provenivano tutti i gruppi, a partire dai capostipiti Fila Brazillia e con la sola eccezione di Akotcha, casa Pork inizia a spaziare al di là del braccio di mare che la separa dal continente proponendo l'album d'esordio degli olandesi di Rotterdam Banabila, collettivo composto da otto anime che ruotano attorno al compositore Michel Banabila. Un album che si snoda attraverso 20 tracce di elettronica con stranezze cinematiche che ricordano più le sonorità di Mouse on Mars, Fink o Wisdom of Harry piuttosto che il tipico sound trip hop a cui la label ci ha abituato. Un'interessante nuova direzione per lo storico marchio inglese.

Anche Disponibili



SATAN STOLE MY TEDDYBEAR : Spherics

Holland's Michel Banabila has apparently been recording and releasing albums for many, many years. Some are solo ventures and some are collaborations with other musicians. Spherics is my introduction to his music, featuring seven compositions covering a nice range of ambient/mood music that is slightly similar to some of Bill Laswell's work. Banabila uses a variety of relatively slow beats and rhythm patterns, overlaying it with tranquil synth washes and effects. The result is a sound that is soothing and spacious. His music often sounds like it's being recorded over the expanse of a broad desert plain and results in altering one's mood to a sedate, relaxed mindframe. The tracks all tend to be lengthy, although one often isn't aware of the time passing. Banabila is very successful in creating a calming, lush and warm album recommended for headphones during the late night.

John Chedsey



SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER : Spherics.

Dutch native Michel Banabila experiments with the darker side of ambient to manipulate psyches with his atmospheric compositions. Nerves frazzle and moods swing. A rich sci-fi soundtrack for primitive living ! Caution: This album could scare children and small animals.



EARPOLLUTION : Spherics

Leaving behind his fascination with the human voice -- both speaking and singing -- Michel Banabila has turned that same level of focus onto more mechanical realms. His new release, Spherics, is a collection of instrumental soundtracks for a mechanized age. "A Strong Sense of Urgency" grows out of the sounds of a steel factory: the hiss and spark of molten metal, the alarms and urgent signals of the machinery, the distant ring of the foreman's phone in his dusty office, the spinning whine of a hi-speed saw. There is a rolling urgency to this track, an increasing density to the music which could easily represent the rapid advancement of the pace of this 21st century. Spherics hasn't the same joyous celebration of the human voice which suffused both VoizNoiz I and VoizNoiz II. There is more tension to be heard here. The environments are more oppressive, more claustrophic, with an underlying sense that something is lurking. The main section of "Science Freak" is built around the labored rhythm of an iron lung which is about to fail, wheezing back and forth as it tries to pump air. And, while there is a minute or so of transcendence in the middle (provided by Jorien Muste's violin, which darts and threads its way throughout this record), the machine breaks down in the end, going dark, the lights and charge gradually fading from its metal and wire body. "Worm Jazz" shakes and rumbles with the echo of pile drivers, vast machinery providing a relentless thunder underneath the constant hum and cycle of the smaller machines in the foreground. "Suma 4 - Blue Mix" is the only break and it comes as an interlude of historical reminiscence. A loose tabla rhythm pulses in the background behind a carefree guitar melody. This interplay is woven through a field recording from a public place -- a train or subway station -- where human voices are never distinct enough to be understood, but yet audible enough to be heard as human sounds. But Banabila keeps us distant; we hear the recorded echoes of human voices as if the only persistence of their passage is the recorded media. Is this machine nostalgia for a time when the trains ran and the lights glowed because people actually came to this place ? Are there only crumbled pillars and dust-covered passageways now, and human history is only a faint tremor left in the air? "Suma 3 - White Mix" is reminiscent of work by Pole, all crackles and static pops layered over a slumbering bass line and sluggishly dreaming hi-hat. This is the sound of the urban street just before dawn when everything is still but for the white mist rising from the manhole covers and orange lights flicker from the next block where a solitary streetsweeper has been abandoned by the curb. This is an unreal city -- a city cloaked by fog and void of human habitation as if every person departed while dreaming. Banabila's soundtracks on Spherics are much more impersonal, not so consumed with the energy of human life, but rather tuned to the frequency of the passage of human existence.

Mark Teppo


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