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Binkelman's Corner by Bill Binkelman |
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Bill Binkelman is a long-time icon in the industry. |
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| Distance |
| By Marconi Union |
| Label: All Saints Records |
| Released 3/14/2006 |
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| Distance tracks |
1. Sleepless
2. These European Cities
3. Through Glass
4. Buildings And People
5. Suburb27
6. Inter
7. A Temporary Life
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Distance |
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Drenched in melancholic moodiness, the album Distance from Marconi Union (of whom I know next to nothing about) is a flawless blend of subtle glitch beats, gentle unforced melodic elements (bell tones, washes, and swaths of synthesizer), and atmospheric post-rock/ambient guitar. It all adds up to a cinematic musical voyage through a variety of environments, from lonely dusty streets at high noon in a deserted ghost town to rain-streaked urban avenues at 2 am to forlorn pathways through barren forests. I seldom rate an album "perfect" in every regard, but I have to fess up that this one had me hitting the repeat button even after the first playing. If you are a fan of music which embraces both a solidly "musical" motif yet retains all of ambient's freeform aesthetics, laced profusely with a sense of both shadow and solitude, at the same time never becoming too "pretty" Distance is definitely on the "short list"!
Sleepless twinkles with reverberating bell tones and evolves into a mid-tempo glitchy miasma of electronic textures, bassy beats and jangly guitar. These Europeans Cities is ushered in with sparse melancholic tones and echoing scratchy electronics, evoking open spaces and a vague sensation of nothingness, but when swelling synths and a catchy guitar loop enter the picture, the feeling of movement through that space is palpable (perhaps the music is meant to convey the image of passing through the "cities" of the song's title while a passenger on a train). A chilled beat emerges amidst the guitar, textures and tones to lend even more of a "riding the rails" feel to the track.
Later on the CD, Buildings and People percolates with more guitar work than the other songs here, but there are still lots of electronics and effects at the periphery. The mood here is one of frantic hurrying, but with a purpose, not aimless, and the conjured image is decidedly urban. Glitch beats and elements are brought into focus later in the song. Inter opens with glistening shimmering tones and the effect is like hearing electric crickets in a field of wavering static. The gradual introduction of assorted fast tempo beats (bass, high hat) and gentle bell tones along with a beautiful realized glitch rhythm eases the cut into a mesmerizing soundtrack which put me in mind of driving at night along a back country highway and feeling the tug of weariness as you struggle to stay awake counting the pine trees fly by your window. On the album closer, A Temporary Life the discrete use of a plaintive sax colors the song with a forlorn bluesy/jazzy tint, but done so subtly that the ambient aesthetic is never lost.
As I stated earlier, Distance is that rarity - a perfect album (well, the graphics might be a little subdued and abstract, given how imagistic and visual the music is). I love this album and even after probably twenty playings it's still a total delight and I always hear something new to enjoy. There’s little else to write except I give it my highest recommendation, especially if you find a lot of glitch beat music too devoid of musicality.
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Rating: Excellent  |
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- reviewed by Bill Binkelman on 7/30/2006 |
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