Joseph Anderson’s
Epiphanie Sequence is a set of
three acoustic pieces which provide the listener with an exploration
of sound in abstract ways.
Kyal Pranja makes use of gamelan
sounds, influenced by Debussy’s discussion of Javanese
music. The title means
from the heart or
from the inside, and
we hear these instruments in a variety of different ways, from
straightforward sounds to highly processed electronic distortions.
Composed while Anderson was working with legendary Electroacoustic
Sound Theatre BEAST in Birmingham, this music suspends time and
allows us to see the infinite detail within the sounds being
used. At one point, the music is interrupted by the sound of
the human voice, and we suddenly become aware of the recording
process, taking the listener from a passive appreciation of sound
to a more involved awareness of how that sound is created. For
a brief moment this becomes a documentary-style demonstration
of process, before we are once again absorbed by the sounds themselves.
This is a fascinating effect which helps the music to work on
multiple levels.
The second work,
Mpingo has a much more immediate sense
of energy and drama. Again, musical sections are interrupted
by vocal discussions which form part of the collaborative process
between Anderson and bass clarinetist Matt Ingalls, and a split
second later we are once again immersed in the musical sounds.
This is fascinating and explores the sound of the bass clarinet,
with the title
Mpingo referring to the dark wood used
for instrument building.
The final work,
Pacific Slope uses sounds recorded in
the Pacific, including bells, waves and trees. Human discussions
once again give a sense of depth to the polished sounds. As the
title suggests, this work has a geographical sense of place,
with a wonderful series of wave sounds and dramatic movements
through the stereo space. The bell sounds are poignant in their
introduction, a reminder of the human after the power of the
waves. A section of drum-like sounds follows, injecting a new
kind of energy into the landscape before the bells and waves
return. Andersen’s blending of the sounds merges the boundaries
between what is real and what is artificial - for example, using
bell sounds to represent waves - and commands us to listen carefully.
These three works are all of reasonably substantial duration,
with the shortest lasting nearly twenty minutes. However, Anderson
seems to be able to suspend time through his music, and the tracks
seemed over almost as soon as they began. This is a fascinating
disc which is successful on many levels, not least as an exploration
into sound.
Carla Rees
Matt Ingalls (bass
clarinet) 
