Intriguing... but misguiding
Marc A Godin | Montreal, Quebec Canada | 02/02/2002
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Barry Adamson got us used to a certain type of dark soundtrack ambiance sustained by occasional techno parts. He's definitely one of my favorite artists. Well, this last CD, only available by imports (for now, at least) is a whole new experiment. This project done with Pan Sonic was based on the principle of "introducing elements they had previously left untouched". You bet. For this album, female voices from Iceland are the basis of a strange amalgalm that doesn't seem to ever take off. It'd surely make a good soundtrack because you'll the discomfort and creepy atmosphere Adamson is so fond of, but it's definitely not in the usual Adamson's guidelines. Definitely not cool... but freezing, it is ! Intriguing music, hard to classify (as my review must suggest...) but if you're a fan of The Negro inside Me or Oedipus Schoedipus, you are authorized to stay away. I bought it because it's Adamson, so I'll support the guy weherever he goes, but I hope he'll go back to the kind of music that made him one of the best "soundtrack-type" composers along with David Holmes.This is New Age on a bad trip, or a strange dream while sitting on an iceberg."
Junkmedia.org Review -
junkmedia | Los Angeles, CA | 03/24/2003
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Kitchen Motors is a promising new Icelandic label and their Motorlab series focuses on pitting avant-garde and electronic artists against each other. Not unlike Konkurrent's "In The Fishtank" series, the results are anyone's guess. Motorlab 3 consists of a single piece of music and its remix. While this is the same format of, say, the new N'Sync single, the sheer length-the original is 12 minutes, the remix 23-and experimental nature of the recording casts the notion of the "CD single" pleasurably on its head. This collaboration leans closer to avant-garde classical music than most of the music reviewed at Junkmedia and no, there aren't even beats on the remix (Little Johnny: "but I thought that's what remixes were for! To give lame-... tracks new life with the addition of an up-front breakbeat from an old funk record and/or house beat! Uncle Steve: "No, Johnny. No, that's not what remixes are for").The original piece of music, entitled "The Hymn of the 7th Illusion", is a collaboration between film composer Barry Adamson and experimental electronic duo Pan Sonic. It's as minimal as they come: Adamson contributes some droning, vaguely avant-classical choir arrangements and Pan Sonic offer some low-end rumble. The two sounds spend the first eight minutes alternating, as if abstractly conversing on very important topics. Things begin to heat up (or at least do something) as the two elements are layered one on top of the other, but the composition remains stuck in place and sounds very much like two disparate and unrelated elements that do little to strengthen each other.The remix, by Germany's Hafler Trio, is a bit more interesting. Titled "The Illusion of the 7th Hymn", it weaves wobbly and strong drones together before leveling them to start anew. At times it sounds eerily like the soundtrack to "the monolith" from Stanely Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, but the intermittent digital crackles and processing bring the listener forcefully up to the present tense. If you are interested in abstract and experimental electronic music, the Hafler Trio deliver a solid remix. If not, they will do little to convince you that this whole "serious digital music" thing is worth your time.Ben Sterling
December 2001
Junkmedia.org Review"
Brief, but inspired
Steward Willons | Illinois | 03/03/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Motorlab #3 is the fruitful collaboration between Barry Adamson and Pan Sonic. I'm approaching this as a Pan Sonic fan, so I'll be primarily addressing those with similar perspectives. I'm not all that familiar with Adamson, so I will reserve those judgments for others more qualified. I will say, however, that based on this recording, I plan to check his stuff out soon.
This CD is basically the 12-minute "Hymn of the 7th Illusion" plus an extended remix by The Hafler Trio (aka Andrew Mackinzey). I frequently hear electro/acoustic music where the blend is more like oil and water than a cohesive whole. Fortunately, that is not the case here. Doubtlessly, most of us are well acquainted with the harsher side of Pan Sonic, but this collaboration finds the Finnish duo at their most subtle. The Hljomeyki choir is the focal point of the work, while Pan Sonic provide subtle, but effective rhythm and bass.
The entire project really works well together. Adamson's vocal writing is reminiscent of Zbigniew Preisner who did the soundtracks to many Kieslowski films including "the Double Life of Veronique." Beautiful, clear voices, unencumbered with vibrato create an otherworldly state of bliss, while electronics provide futuristic rhythmic texture.
Yes, it's basically a 12 minute piece for an inflated "import" price, but I really think it's worth it. It's the sort of thing one can listen to on repeat over and over again. The second track is virtually silence and judging by its lack of title, I'm guessing it serves to space the original composition from the remix by a bit more than the traditional 2-5 seconds between tracks. It gives the listener's ears a chance to rest before beginning the marathon 22-minute Hafler Trio remix.
As a long-time fan of the Hafler Trio, I thoroughly enjoyed the remix, although at times one gets the sense that it's as much a new piece as it is a reworking of the former. As with most "remixes", I still prefer the original, but it's worth listening to in its entirety.
I know there are some negative reviews up, but I think they have more to do with the disappointment of duration-per-dollar. The way I see it, I'd rather have 12 minutes of Pan Sonic than 50 minutes of Britney Spears for the same price. If you feel similarly, you'll enjoy this immensely. If you're skeptical, I'd recommend trying to find a sample somewhere. I think once you give it a chance, you'll dig it."
Track Listings (3) - Disc #1