Search - Scanner :: Sound for Spaces

Robin Rimbaud, a.k.a. Scanner, normally builds music by raiding the airwaves, eavesdropping on cellular phones, and processing them into engaging voyeuristic soundscapes. But on Sound for Spaces the whole process is turned inside out; this album is a collection of environmental recordings, created specifically for clubs, art installations, and radio broadcasts. While his work normally revolves around the fuzzy confessions and background noise of the airwaves, these pieces use digital noise, spoken word, and found sounds to create (rather than replicate) sonic environments. Depending on its function, the music ranges from deliberate and focused ("Documenta X," "Incarceration") to loose and improvisational ("Slow Motion," "Invisible Choirs"). Sound for Spaces is a fascinating listen that, unlike most experimental music, is enjoyable without a thorough reading of the liner notes. --Matthew Corwine