This is a solo outing from D?lek's turntablist, Still, but don't expect anything that might normally be associated with the notion of a "turntablist", because there are no beats or record scratches to be found herein whatsoever. Instead what you'll find are six tracks in 35 minutes, filled with experimental noise textures created using only Technics 1200 Mk2 turntables and delay pedals (with occasional vocals processed through turntables). The selections range from three minutes to more than nine minutes and include everything from fragmented electronic sounds and churning low-end ambience to glitchy loops and hints of musicality. The aptly titled "Atrophy" is more of a menacing affair with some ominous swells and crackling midrange next to subtle melodic undercurrents and bursts of what appear to be indecipherable vocals; whereas "A Dream You Were Alive" (one of the longer pieces) is a little more restrained and partially hypnotic in its use of lulled loops and resonant percussive sounds shifting into rising and falling ambient swells that are actually quite dense. Great ending on this one, too: Nice and intentional, gradually drawing to a close with a calm, fluid decrease in volume and layering that's very enjoyable. "Futility" is another darker composition, though probably the most musical as well, softly opening up with some faint ambience and what sounds like reverberated bits of piano and flute. It's the most subdued of the songs, but probably my favorite overall, as it creates a more consistent and controlled sense of feeling that really works out great to separate it from the other work. The live track that closes the disc, "Blindness", is somewhat similar in overall tone, and fits in nicely against the other material (boasting a slightly warmer sound that's not quite as crisp as the preceding tracks, but actually benefits from that natural aesthetic). The layout looks fairly good and uses bright colors and a generally glitchy style of layered imagery that suits the tone of the music fairly well. Apparently the first 1,000 copies of the disc are supposed to have a hand-numbered sleeve around the jewel case, but I guess the promos don't come with it (Boo!). Also included on the CD-Rom portion are three Super 8 films by Todd Boebel, totaling around 15 minutes of footage that basically consists of artistically quaint scenery and random occurrences shot in New York City, Myanmar, and the Angkor Wat Temples. The films are set to Still's music, and the two complement each other incredibly well, which makes for a nice little addition. As a whole this a curious little disc that definitely comes off as somewhat of an unexpected twist in and of itself. In certain instances the use of loops can become a little tiresome, but for the most part the compositions hold their own very well and should appeal to a wide range of experimental listeners (so long as they're open-minded enough to get past their preconceived notions of turntables). I think a lot of people would be surprised at the results that have been achieved here. I certainly am.
[Public Guilt]
Running time - 34:12, Tracks: 6
[Notable tracks: Atrophy, Futility, Blindness (Live)]
Public Guilt - http://www.publicguilt.com
