[microsound] Review: Frank Bretschneider & Peter Duimelinks - fflux

[Glenn Folkvord <glenn@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Frank Bretschneider & Peter Duimelinks - fflux

> From the Dutch electronica label Brombon (a sublabel of Korm Plastics) comes 
this 7-track 34-minute album, with experimental ambience and abstract 
rhythms.

The first track, Knox, revolves around electronic sounds sequenced in a 
rather conventional rhythm, but supported by ambient radio waves-style sound 
(and do I mean sound, rather than "ambient music") and cute little bleeps 
and blobs. It's quite listenable and less experimental than I had set my 
mind for, but it's a pleasant rhythmical, minimalistic soundscape. The 
following track Fix, is somewhat broader in the sonic design, but follows 
the same structure; individual sounds sequenced to a rhythmic, almost 
danceable beat, supported by static, tape noise and abstract sounds.

Then follows Fax, which has what appears to be cut-up fragments of harmonic 
sounds on top of white noise effects and more abstract electronic sounds. 
This particular track has a good sense of breathing or exhaling, without 
using any samples that actually suggest that, but its pulsating structure is 
suggestive of such an image nevertheless. Prax then follows, with another 
pulsating structure but now with jazzy white noise percussion dominating, 
quite rhythmic and conventional, but surrounded by ambient soundscapes and 
"musical speech" from an alien language, as well as vinyl static. It's 
basically not an ambient track, as its sound pulses propel the track quite 
efficiently.

Next is Lux, where the almost cheerful mood of the previous track is 
replaced by darker and somewhat industrial moods, and again white noise 
effects and abstract sounds form the soundscapes. Towards the end, layered 
echo is used as a new type of effect. Then follows the track Mux, which is 
more rhythmic with a steady beat surrounded by abstract sounds, car 
horn-like outbursts and weird effects. It's a lighter mood again, which is 
also the case for the last track, Max. It follows the pattern of most of the 
above tracks, and since the formula by now is familiar, the track is getting 
a little tiresome, since there is no new technique or structure.

fflux is a fresh sounding album with elastic and springy sounds. It's not a 
rhythmic album as such and not an ambient album either, but blends quiet 
beats and looped sounds with ambient background noise in a way that is 
sometimes dynamic, sometimes rigid. It's not far removed from Skytracker, 
and I have heard similar things from Arne Nordheim (minus the beats, 
perhaps). The sound palette is abstract and somewhat free-form, and some 
interesting shaping and editing takes place to give the album layers you 
will want to return to for closer studies. The structure that all tracks use 
could perhaps have had more variation, but the tracks are not overly long 
(somewhere around 4 or 5 minutes) and the album clocks in at around 34 
minutes.

If you are tired of Berlin School sequencers or the romantic soundtracks by 
Vangelis, then fflux is a good choice, as it bridges the gap between 
downtempo dance music and abstract ambient soundscapes.

Rating: 7.5 of 10

Availability:
http://www.kormplastics.nl

Greetings from Glenn Folkvord
Web & content editor, Planet Origo

Origo Sound music: http://www.cdbaby.com/all/origosound
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