Gilles Aubry - s6t8r [Wind Measure Recordings - 2009]The strangely entitled ‘S6r8r’ finds Swiss sound artists Gilles Aubry building slow-mo industrial mood scapes & rewarding textural work-outs purely with the use of manipulated field recordings taken from inside Stralau 68 (a former venue for experimental music that's now empty)which is situated in Berlin. The last time we heard from Mr Aubry was ‘Berlin Backyards’ which came out in early 2009 on the Cronica label; and as it title suggests it utilized the sounds from Berlin Backyards eg: dustbins, lorries, distant dog call, voices ect- it was a passable effort for a field recording record, but it lack enough composed or structured elements to make it something you’d want play often. ‘S6r8r’ is a much more cleverly put together, atmospheric, rewarding, & at times rhythmic/strangley harmonic record than ‘Berlin Backyards’ . There’s a real feeling of sonic control, mastery & focus through-out all of the four near on fifteen minute tracks on offer here. To build the tracks often hypnotic & at times creeping air Aubury takes recordings of: distant train noise, low room drones, glass tinkling, outside road noise, rain on roofs, wind & all manner of muffled sound matter. Which he all rearranges in an manner that keeps the sounds original depth, clarity & identity; but also forms atmospheric, harmonic & sometimes slow rhythmic work-outs and rewarding textural dwells. He also adds in here & there elements of harmonic feed-back, drone matter & subtle musical elements Certainly one of the most rewarding & re-playable field recording records I’ve come across in sometime. It’s up there with some of Tarab’s best work like 07 'Wind keeps even Dust Away' in it’s mixing of balanced composition , original sound richness, general atmospheric air, & sonic artistry. Roger Batty
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