Jessica Rylan - Interior Designs [Important Records - 2007]Interior designs presents the listener with four tracks mainly played via analog synthzier's constructed by Rylan herself. The pieces fall somewhere between improvised synth patterns and noise,Think a more aggravated and volatile version of the likes of Rafael Toral’s more recent work. Extraordinary starts the disk off and is the longest piece here at just over 15 minutes, it consists of shifting and moving synth tones that vary from barely-there electro purrs and wines, to corrosive and almost explosive sound rushers.Though thematically not a lot happens, she mangers to keeps one interesting with the electronic twists and turns. Timeless is up next and homes in on more muffed static often distant synth tones- like listerning to a strange looped storm playing around your eves, sometimes odd high and singing elements are added but mostly it's constrained to looped micro textures. Phantasia is next and seems to again utilize the odd wind type rushing but it feels dryer and desert blown, it also has more sound detail and almost harmonic traces here and there. Lastly we have the title track which uses harsh and often discordant acoustic guitar avant strumming patterns over a drums machine march. It's fairly interesting but really outstays its welcome by the near 9 minute mark. A passable enough adventure into improvised going towards noise matter, though lacking the really invention and use of clever sounds to make you want to return to it often. Roger Batty
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