MHFS "Ti Point Wharf" 3" CD
[Scarcelight]
This EP sees this New Zealand artist offering up seven generally succinct untitled tracks themed around a location, which is apparently something that a few of his prior releases have explored as well. What literal role the location plays in the material is uncertain, though some of the sounds do come across as field recordings. The first piece, for example, is just under three minutes of incredibly faint, distant sounds - shuffling, soft dead air hiss, indecipherable speaking, etc. Tracks two and three are a bit more active and ambient in nature, with lots of ethereal textures and a general sense of faint corrosion or decay, sort of like this calm, melodic ambience is fighting to be heard, but things are slightly muffled and broken up through shuffled movements and shifts in levels. The fourth track is even a raw recording of acoustic guitar and vocals with some resonant low-end hums breaking into the left channel, which is both totally unexpected and fucking awesome. The following two selections are short experiments in minimalism: A faint midrange buzz and then a faint wisp of piercing high-end. Neither piece sounds like any layering is involved, so they fade in, persist for a bit more than a minute, then fade away. The last track is over five minutes long, much longer than the others, but its almost inaudibly quiet low-end hums build so slowly and so quietly that it's actually among the more uneventful moments. The CD-R comes with a one-sided xerox cover that depicts a nice looking high contrast image of a wharf and contact information, and that's all she wrote in that department. Not bad at all. It's worth mentioning that the guy behind this project is a physicist who's currently working on a doctorate in experimental quantum dynamics. Does that apply to the music? Well, not really, but it can be nice to know that it's not just some random dude with a laptop sitting around making noises while he eats a bowl of cereal, you know? I mean, if that's the case here, at least it would be an intelligent dude with a laptop sitting around making noises while he eats a bowl of cereal, right? But regardless, whatever the means, whatever the source, this is a nice little release... and I'd like to hear more. (7/10)
Running time - 19:50, Tracks: 7
[Notable tracks: they're all untitled]
Scarcelight Recordings - http://www.scarcelight.org

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