I think everyone who has used common home objects to create the sound, or improvised and recorded with a built-in microphone, understands very well the hidden magic of such music. Who has been involved in tape manipulation in the simplistic way, shouted into a mic or hung it out the window, jangled a guitar, brought out abnormal sounds. There is the difference between studio-produced music and spare-bedroom-produced music indeed. There is also the third possibility mentioned by the guys of Animal Collective visiting Estonia in 2006 – all the use of musical elements must be strictly managed to get impressive effects out of this appliances. Something that might be seen as a concealed complaint toward the jazz music. Nevertheless, involvement in the creating procedure of chaotic or free-form music certainly is the most interesting. Something which is seemingly directed toward nothingness, just having value playing for its own sake.
A netlabel named Rack And Ruin seems partly to be focused on such a type of music recordings. Stilistically ranging from weird forms of rock and folk to peculiar electronics. This music is unusual by their own distinctive sound, offering freedom to contemporary people slaving in front of monitors is highly worth giving an attention.
Robby Massey aka dessktop is a striking example of achieving control and then losing it once again. Demonstrating that the boundaries between creating harmony and breaking it can be very fragile. Galleon Quilt is his first appearance after the more conventional Selsey Bill EP, and experimental Kirpi EP which demonstrated 21-year American`s ability to create new and interesting soundscapes. His capacity to transform field recordings, pan`n`pots drumming sounds, vocals and all of the rest into one organic whole is admirable and enjoyable. In addition to above-mentioned elements he exploits Native American flutes, a Native American bass drum, a xylophone, voice, a Casio synth, a melodica, an acoustic guitar and a toy accordion.
Galleon Quilt is a specific album in its own. 10 tracks in 26 minutes. The objective to use organic textures like on the previous album has been neglected. The music rotates around vowel experiments, and being in grim mood it is better emphasized – dark-sounding and pounding piano accords are engendering the baseline structure, a loud sharp noise and rhythm coming seemingly from nowhere to haunt listeners. As Robby Massey himself mentioned once, he had played for hours and hours with various instruments to “discover” new motives for the new album. Nevertheless, as the listener, you can feel the more traditional songwriting approach. Galleon Quilt is surprisingly interlaced with dark folk, dark wave, modern classical and neoclassical undercurrents. You may even hear the pagan and medieval motives, and some surfacing sonic subtextures are directly connected to electroacoustic (recording) methodology.Download it from here
8.4
