So many people, so many instruments, yet so little music, and so little of interest. The album’s cover is divided into columns, containing a lengthy roll-call of names and instruments: the contributors to Zuydervelt’s project which began life as a sound installation work, and comprises a full ‘virtual orchestra’ tuning up. The album is intended to function as a standalone extension of the project, with a single, standard stereo track replicating, but not doubt compressing the experience.
Three and a half minutes in and a quavering mid-range drone has grown to a slightly larger mid-range drone. And it keeps on going. The texture and tone, strength and solidity changes, almost imperceptibly at times, with infinitesimal stutters and glitches long the way. The insistence of the buzz has begun to be quite penetrating by the eight-minute mark.
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Over the course of the album’s 50-minute duration, the instrumental sound source does, most definitely change, working its way through the full orchestra, but the note itself remains unchanged. I expect the installation could have been quite something, in this format, it’s a bit of a drag.
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