Search - Robert Fripp :: That Which Passes

"That Which Passes" is Soundscapes BRILLIANCE!

lordmuck56@att.net | Connecticut | 11/03/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Robert Fripp has always been a force dealing with improvisation and reaching out for new and uncharted musical territory. "That Which Passes" explores his Soundscapes concept in practice while investigating death and "passing" in theory and intent. Not structured tunes in any conventional sense, but rather complex musical structures created by one brilliant musician, his guitar and a multitude of electronic gear. It is captivating, hypnotic at times, very atmospheric and perfect for active or passive listening. This is my personal favorite in the Soundscapes series."

Sonic abstractionism

spiral_mind | Pennsylvania | 06/05/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Three reviews into Robert Fripp's series of Soundscape albums, I'm still having trouble explaining just what all this noise sounds like. Perhaps that's because while each album is created in the same way (improvising varying layers of hazy synth-guitar improvisations one atop the other all at once), each has a feel all its own. Radiophonics is an experiment in pure sound; A Blessing of Tears is a portrait of beauty that emerges from (and transcends) sadness. That Which Passes? A meditation on death and dying. Robert doesn't resort to anything as maudlin as lyrics or even melodies suggesting something ominous; he gives us the sonic equivalent of an abstract painting where the artist just splashes paint randomly everywhere. Free of conventional forms and frameworks, it's the kind of thing everyone experiences in their own way. The liners are filled with abstract pictures. The tracks consist of vague hazy synth clouds with hardly any definite notes, and any harmonies are implied rather than played. Soundscapes seem like a way of projecting emotions into pure sound, with TWP's themes revolving around awe, doubt, wonder and fear - to my ears at least.On one hand, this kind of music could really be associated with almost anything; the backdrop is provided by whatever's in the listener's mind. On the other.. knowing what Robert was thinking when these 'Scapes were created, it's even more impressive just how accurately and honestly he's able to put it into sound. "On Awe" somehow *feels* like the presence of something great and wonderful, despite the interference of some occasional electronic bleeps. "The Leap" moves from a slow chorus of vague human voices to a wild snowballing turbulence of noise and fury. "This Too Shall Pass" gives a vague impression of inevitability and acceptance. "New Worlds" creates a, well, world of mesmerizing sonics by soaring through grand interstellar territory over the stretch of ten minutes.However, like its predecessors, this disc is also good for creating a sonic background all its own without any associations. I certainly don't spend 43 minutes deeply pondering over mortality and death every time I give it a spin, although these grand pillars of sound do often make me imagine vast reaches of outer space. It can make a relatively unobtrusive aural background, though there's also enough going on to occupy your attention if you listen without distractions. For a mesmerizing Soundscape of pure soothing beauty, go for A Blessing of Tears first. This one is occasionally dark and scary, but if the idea of ambient sound sculptures appeals to you, this disc still shouldn't disappoint."

Intense and startling.

Michael Stack | North Chelmsford, MA USA | 05/17/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

""That Which Passes" is the third volume of live soundscapes performances by Robert Fripp from 1995. Soundscapes are a digital loop based solo guitar performance, firmly lodged in the realm of ambient music, and clearly the successor of Eno's Frippertronics scheme. The solo soundscape performances are largely orchestral in form and are totally improvised, although this album was assembled from live performances to make a coherent statement. Whereas Volume 2 was reflections on the death of the guitarist's mother, this volume is a general reflection on death. Personally, I feel that in many ways this somewhat hampers the music and takes away from the somewhat organic nature of the soundscape performances.



Nonetheless, the album is interesting, and in many ways, certainly more of a cohesive statement-- Fripp uses his editing to establish and build moods, referencing in sound the styles of playing he performed on previous albums. The tracks tend to be shorter, and they don't stand apart as well as material on either "Radiophonics" or "A Blessing of Tears". At times, the aggressive nature of the theme results in harsh and difficult to listen to music, similar to "Radiophonics", at times it maintains the stunning beauty of "A Blessing of Tears". And it does have the haunting and complete brilliant "A Worm in Paradise", one of the best and most emotive soundscape recordings Fripp has done.



This is a difficult record to get into, the superior "A Blessing of Tears" will serve as a better introduction to the genre. This may be a good second place to look, however."