CNV38
release date: 11.Jan.2007

SASCHA NEUDECK - Seroton ep

Vital Weekly 563



Sascha Neudeck is a biochemist and a musician from Vienna. I believe this is the first time I hear his music. previously he was on the noise territory, but has now left for some more microsounding, poetic and stillness in music. The laptop is working overtime here. Partly drone related, with some modified electro-acoustic sounds on top, or below the surface, depending on which track you are in. I thought it was all pretty ok, but nothing too much out of the ordinary. A seen it all, heard it all case, but is perhaps not positive, but, like I said, it's quite ok.

[ Frans de Waard ]

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Earlabs - 14.02.2007



The Conv catalog is rich in diversity and has taken its listeners down many interesting paths during the past two years and with the release of Sascha Neudeck’s Seroton EP we once again see it guide us down two of its most traveled avenues - a rewarding amalgam of microsound and drones - but, there’s something new and satisfyingly different about the Seroton EP.

Poetic drones built from manipulations of assorted abstract electronic and concrete sounds might give a sketch of what Sascha Neudeck’s new EP is all about, but that would only be a teaser. In the liner notes, Heribert Friedl describes the EP metaphorically by commenting that it’s something like taking a “a collection of different quotations” and rearranging them “from totally abstract elements to poetic narrative parts.”

Taken as a whole and going beyond the electronically generated noises and software editing tools that went into the making of Seroton EP, there‘s also a pervading organic ambiance that is infused in its sounds. The lead track “Gruene Resonanz” confirms this observation. Standing out amongst this slow-moving, soothing stream of assorted electronic sounds and effects are the beautiful strummed resonations of what reminds me of a stringed folk-instrument commonly referred to as a zither (the not quite accurate term autoharp is used here in the U.S.). Adding to this organic atmosphere are what I assume to be the strangely pleasing sounds of the Sidrassi organ. Even the title, roughly translated as “becomes green resonance”, hints at this macrobiotic quality.

A mildly abrasive and steadily developing electronic sizzle greets the listener during the first minute of “Seitendick#3”. This rather dense drone quickly fades to a murmur as it is replaced by a minimal collection of sparse bass sounds, bristly electronics, and almost melodic high pitched flute-like sounds and squeals .

The interestingly titled “Knochen Kraut” (translation = bone herb) is a rather melancholic piece of sadly resonating chords, deep bass rumblings, haunting percussive textures, and melodic ethnic nuances. Parts of this might be likened to sitting down in front of a clock with no other purpose than to listen and watch time ‘tick’ away in its infinite manner.

“160 mg” might just be a sonic equivalent of some powerful stimulant drug. This multilayered coarse, opaque drone will definitely catch and keep your attention for its brief duration. Careful listening will reveal that just below the more obvious surface roughness there are some deep, harmonious ruminations.

“Stringent#3” is by far the most austere and discordant of the EP’s tracks. The deformed acoustic sounds (maybe that Sidrassi organ again) coupled with cold electronic noises/manipulation and sparsely reverberated piano notes move it into the realm of the icy and unsettling. A good track for initiating a nightmare.

The EP concludes with the noisy and aggressive track accurately titled “Disarray” - a frenzied, pulsing powerhouse of a drone that doesn’t let up until final half-minute at which time it simply evaporates.

Seroton EP is powerful release for Conv as it enters third year of providing some of the best in high quality, exciting avant-garde electronic music.

[ Larry Johnson ]

_______________________________________________________________________________________