In 2007 the debut album Alexipharmaca by Los Angeles (US) based electro-acoustic duo Mem1 was released on the label Interval Recordings. On this album the duo searches for a modern combination of electronic and classical music. Now with their second album +1 they explore this sometimes thin line further with the help from befriended guest musicians.
Collaborations with musicians like Jan Jelinek, Frank Bretschneider and Steven Roden (to name the more well known musicians) recorded on several places like a painter's studio, near a lake or through the internet.
The influences from the several guest musicians do ring through in some of the pieces, while others clearly show Mem1 as being the main ingredient.
While on Alexipharmaca the electro-acoustic compositions had a major melodic and rhythmic element, here most pieces find their way into minimalism and drones. The warm tones of the cello find their way into computers and effects to develop long sustaining tones, while in the background soft digital glitches crackle and plop along. Only in the pieces with Frank Bretschneider and Steve Roden a twist is brought to the sound. Bretschneider pushes his pulsating beats in, exactly those as we know from his own work. And Steve Roden surprises us with some unexpected broken beats, turning the whole piece upside down.
Although, these two pieces are different from the rest they do not overwhelm the listener. While bringing the surprise it isn't an impressive one.
Not only these two pieces lack this overwhelming feeling, only a few tend to stick their head out of the mainstream dronings.
While listening the memory of several In the Fishtank collaborations come to mind, where two bands or musicians are send to a studio for two days to record their tracks together. On their own these acts usually are good, but the chemistry doesn't come out while working together. On the pieces for +1 exactly the same feeling arises.
The only piece where this feelings doesn't occur is the collaboration with Jen Boyd, but if this track can't save the album from being a mediocre excursion.
While Mem1's début album had some strong pieces on it, +1 is quite disappointment. While there was this big opportunity to become an interesting experience, the working with guest musicians doesn't fill in the expectations you might have. |
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