seven

The second volume of Bip-Hop's ongoing exploration of international electronics artists solidifies the concept, presenting (somewhat) known artists with less known practitioners of electronic manipulation. Each artist has a distinct approach to song construction, combining varied electronics with an influx of melody and, at times, more familiar instrumentation and (seemingly) organic elements; the dynamics of post rock electronics often peek through.

The exceptions would be the few tracks of psychotically smudged snippets presented by Wang Inc. and Kohn, though Wang Inc. also delves into the scraps of mood and melody on the somber itch of "3 Note Melody," and the stretched and kneaded sigh of "Sadness For The Numbers." And Kohn's "S (For Hubert)," which compresses a controlled feedback rhythm above a clattering din of machinery locomotion massaged by lurking bass textures... before vocals surprisingly join in the proceedings. The simmering tension drones of Bernhard Fleischmann's "Aube" are dotted with diverse percussive textures, sounding like wooden crickets playing Ping-Pong. Add looped scraping noises and acoustic guitar, amongst a sprinkling of diverse layered sounds, and shards of electronics to season the mix, and one is captivated by the way the track works on the level of music, as (again) a song, and not just a collection of neat electronic noises.

Arovane, probably the best known of the participants, presents a brilliant excursion on the ten-minute "Plecq," emphasizing spasmodic, twitchy percussion interspersed with concentrated, bell-like sounds, and a bass that weaves labyrinthine rhythms throughout. The bell-like tones sound like steel drums, though made of rubber (?!), before shifting into tonalities more wooden and chime-like. The overall sensation, though, because of the synths and electronics that decorate the background, is one of resigned beauty tinted with sadness. Odd, compelling work!

Other, more than worthy sonic investigations, are undertaken by Warmdesk (especially on the android techno of "Nynl Square"), and Laurent Pernice (shattered noir sonicscapes and percolating techno freakouts!). Another entertaining trespass into the expanding world of electronics, courtesy of the good people at Bip-Hop. Keep 'em coming!