A Closer Listen
How does technology affect our perception of reality? This question is addressed on the first of a new series from Errorgrid. The label’s subtitle, “A Darker Sound of a Present Future,” makes it a perfect match for such explorations. This is also the first set to travel outside the label’s roster, although we would not be surprised to see some of these artists appear here again.
In the 21st century, technology has become so integrated into our lives that the 20th century seems antiquated. Twenty years ago, few beyond the realm of sci-fi were talking about topics such as social media, deep fakes, avatars and A.I. Today we question what is real: is the news real? Is the person we’re speaking to online real? Are we perceiving the world more through our devices than through our travels?
This is not to say that technology is bad or good, simply a reflection of its users. The nature of this music is purely technological, the tone more upbeat than foreboding (although to some, all robotic music sounds foreboding). The brighter chords suggest a brighter future, while the titles serve as warnings. Synthmonk’s “Distorted Digits” leads off the set, the “pretty” patterns balanced by dark drums and electronic bass, as if to suggest either outcome. This reviewer recognizes the irony of “Socialize a Bit,” as he is writing these words indoors on a device after plans with actual humans fell through. Our devices have become a fallback option; the risk is that they might become our first option, or detract from our “real” experiences: for example, phones on the beach. Hhnoi seems encouraging, its EBM timbres an invitation to explore the great outdoors.
Slaev’s “In the Shadow of the Square” extends this theme with precise programming and micro stops and starts. Life is substantially different when one is always checking in, or (to honor the artist’s moniker) when one becomes a slave to pings and vibrations. In”Argentum,” Metaphorus asks if our worlds have turned silver, like the flowing metal of the T1000, replacing the green of spring, the blue of summer, the amber of autumn, the white of winter. When 0 0 0 promises, “This Too Will Fade,” one wonders which world is being referenced: the natural or the technological. The pacing seems deterministic; can nothing slow the trajectory? “This Is Not Happening,” declares Iamyank. Oh, but it is. The crashes at the end suggest an imminent breakdown.
“What’s Left” is an inventory rather than a question. So Much Blood adopts a funereal pace, looks around, attempts to identify the traces of humanity after a technological uprising. Or is it the other way around? When all is technology, is the search for what is left of the heart? Halfway through, a melody disperses the fear. The Allegorist closes the set with “Breath,” something a machine does not (yet) have, adding the actual sound of breath; or so it seems. These breaths may be electronic, and at the least are electronically manipulated, joined by wordless vocal loops, a reminder that perception is a tricky thing, easily nudged beyond the realm of the real. (Richard Allen)
Tue Jun 06 00:01:18 GMT 2023