Jarl "Out of Balance" CD
[Malignant]
This is yet another full-length from this side project of Erik Jarl, perhaps better known for his involvement with Swedish death industrial outfit IRM.  Here he explores well over an hour of the bleak dark ambient soundscapes that impressed me so much in his track on the "Sweetness Will Overcome" compilation.  Included are an almost overbearing 17 tracks titled simply "Part I" through "Part XVII".  73 minutes is a bit long for any release, though admittedly experimental artists tend to pull off such mammoth affairs more easily than traditional musicians, but I have to confess that I'm not sure if 17 separate tracks is the best way to do it, because after awhile this release does feel like it drags on a bit.  The pieces all flow into one another, but they definitely do not create the impression of one larger whole in my opinion.  Yes, they are consistent with one another, but there are significant differences and shifts at each track separator, so it's not like one composition that has been spliced up into 17 different markers or anything like that.  And make no mistake, I am quite a fan of the resonant low-end hums, sinister and subtle back and forth motions, ethereal atmospheres, and chilling icy textures (fitting of the artwork and packaging), so I'm not complaining - I'm simply stating that perhaps a shorter and more focused affair, or one that included fewer longer pieces rather than so many shorter ones, could have been a bit more forceful.  In a sense, each part (each of which averages about four to five minutes in length) pieces together and enters a repetitious pulse for its duration, then shifting onto the next without a great deal of variation on the way.  The complete set of songs doesn't come off as lacking in variety, but the individual elements do remain fairly steadfast within their own timeframes.  "Part V" is the first selection that really starts to up the ante with a little more of a menacing approach, bringing in some lightly grating distortion that really sticks with you; while "X" builds around a hypnotic lull that persists for three minutes straight.  Some of the tracks in between can get slightly tiresome with lots of reverberating motion and strangely electronic textures that almost feel out of place, but I guess they do sort of tie into the celestial sort of vibe that some of the earlier pieces started to put forth.  "Part XI" is the longest track at nearly seven minutes, with a little bit of gritty distortion added to a rhythmic surge and a machinated whirring middleground - proving to me that, indeed, longer compositions could indeed have made better use of this record's hefty running time, especially since this passage feels like it has a little more variation in dynamics and builds its own sense of progression.  The more spacious "Part XIII" uses some clanking percussive sounds to varying degrees of depth or brightness and also stands apart as fairly distinct, though it's "Part XV" (another slightly longer track at 5:47) that makes for the next true keeper with its desolate crunches and carefully placed melodic vocal choruses deep amidst the wasteland of dark ambient noise.  "Part XVI" keeps that desolate thread moving in full force with some throbbing low-end surges and layered hums and feedback tones in the upper levels; sinking back to a murkier and softer (though no less intimidating) finish for the closing "Part XVII".  The sound quality is very consistent throughout with a lot of warm density and a general sense of smooth fluidity.  There's no lack of detail, but rather than a crisp and pristine mix, there's a little more cohesion and natural presence to the layering here.  It's not rugged at all, but it does possess a little bit of a hold in that sense.  The disc comes in a nice looking digipack with consistent imagery and little text.  The general aesthetic is bleakly shrouded icy landscapes with dirty textures and a decaying sort of color scheme, with the only hint at meaning offered in the line, "The bursting and crackling ice is splitting and breaking time as it is melting life out of balance."  All in all this is a nice CD and I plan to follow this project's work in the future, though I have to confess that after hearing "Envägskommunikation" on the "Sweetness Will Overcome" collection I was holding slightly higher expectations for this one.  I do believe Jarl has more to offer, but this is good work nonetheless. (7/10)
Running time - 73:19, Tracks: 17
[Notable tracks: Part V, Part XI, Part XV, Part XVI, Part XVII]
Malignant Records - http://www.malignantrecords.com

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