A Closer Listen
The stone dreams of becoming a sculpture, while the music dreams of becoming a composition. These dreams merge on Dream of Stone, which began its life as the accompaniment to an exhibition, and is now available in digital form.
One can hear the artists at their work, chipping, hammering, molding. We often hear of music as sculpted art, but this is no metaphor. Occasionally a line of dialogue breaks through, as well as an unexpected tone: an echoed bell, a surge of drone. The drones are contributed by Brinstaar; Bred Blondie contributes looped interactions. The sculptures come from 0331C and Grisha, whose name our most astute readers will recognize from the cover art of last year’s Silk Saw album. The album is even more intricate than one might imagine, as the drone frequencies and proportions reflect granite’s base elements and their oxygen emissions. The album cover reflects this spectrum via light refraction. Delving even deeper into the art of making art, the pointing chisels themselves become instruments, not simply means to an end. If the journey is the destination, the tools are the trade.
With all of these difficult assignments, one might expect the album to come across as complex. But strip away the knowledge, and the impression comes forth: a dual presentation of work and rest. The work is represented by the granite and chisels, the rest by the undulating loops. Once set in motion, they commingle and morph. Apart from a few occasional hard hits, the contact between metal and rock makes peace with its surroundings, providing the comfort of industry. In short, one grows used to it, as one might grow used to the sound of a family member typing, a lawn service mowing, or even a construction crew working. The mind incorporates frequent sounds until they no longer cause alarm.
For an effective home experience that mimics the exhibition, try playing two or more copies at once ~ perhaps streaming one online while listening to home speakers. The loops and chisels will interact in surprising ways, contributing depth as well as width. Or for the most adventurous, try finding some rocks and stones in the yard and experiment with their sonorities while listening: an interaction that would certainly please the original participants. (Richard Allen)
Sat Jun 25 00:01:52 GMT 2016