Alva Noto - Xerrox Vol.2

Alva Noto's latest venture into the Xerrox series has finally arrived. This time, the dusty tracks of Vol.1 are shadowed by darkened clouds, and the air has become electrified with higher-voltage static. For instance, track 4 sounds almost as harsh as a droney, hypnotic track from Merzbow's Electro Magnetic Unit. However, no one can deny Vol.2's highly intelligent and often touching musicality. The mood is sombre on many tracks, but Alva Noto expertly seduces the listener by peeling back layers of static to reveal the trademark strings which broke our hearts in Vol.1. Here they sing different melodies, but the same underlying sorrow permeates the fuzzy atmosphere.

Works by Stephen O'Malley, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and even Michael Nyman were sampled and transformed into different creatures by the inimitable expertise of Alva Noto. Who knew that O'Malley's crushing riffs could generate such haunting sadness (Xerrox Soma)? Who foresaw that Sakamoto's commercial film score could be mutated into a gentle drone/glitch supernova (Xerrox Sora)? Who counted on feeling the beautiful soul of Fennesz glowing on tracks such as Xerrox Phaser Acat 1?

With its subtle suprises and 'ear-opening' ambience, Vol.2 no doubt lives up to its predecessor's poetic brilliance and edginess. Carsten Nicolai could not have expressed himself any better. Once again, Xerrox has electrified and stunned us into stupendous awe.

Make no mistake this record is a landmark release in the history of electronic music. At times I have felt that many of the releases on Mille Plateau and now Raster-Noton have been experimental at the expense of being musical. When electronic music looses any sembelence of soul it ceases to be music. That is why this release it so important.

Volume 1 took samples and reduced them into a sea of fizzes, spray and static. It sounded totally unique. An otherworldly soundscape of expansive electonic sound. Volume 2 reaches further. Here an unpredictable widescreen journey with many twists and turns unfolds. At times impossibly dense layers of fuzz and static put you at the centre of a vast electonic storm but before long you reach the eye of the storm. The music becomes spacious, warm, comforting. This release has more soul, depth and innovation going on than anything I have heard in a very long time.

I understand that this is only the second in a series of 5 Xerrox releases - that makes me very happy! Stunning contemporary music.