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Reviews

Robert Rich — Bestiary
(Relapse RR6514-2, 2001, CD)

Bestiary Cover art

Glewsh, bleep, blewsh, clickityclack, blublublub. The first eight minutes or so of Bestiary sound something akin to a Conrad Schnitzler album played through a room full of jello. Not even going to try and speculate how these sounds were created (obviously electronics based on samples fed through some sort of post-processing for the gelatinous effect), but they do sound very cool, very random, jumpstarting the disc with some very interesting ideas. As the first track progresses to the second, these sounds start to take on a semblance of rhythm, and are joined by more typically floating ambient elements, synth washes, processed voices, and some percussive elements, ultimately taking on that more familiar dreamlike quality. Some acoustic instruments are mixed in here and there as well, and provide some balance, but overall it’s the electronic elements that dominate the eight tracks herein. The entire disc is nothing short of a total sonic adventure, moving between ideas and constantly shifting gears, surprising at every turn. There are no breaks; every piece seamlessly overlaps with the beginning of the next one, and unless one watches the clock while they listen, it might seem like this is really just one long piece with many sub-parts, although each has its own very distinct focus. For those who like adventure and aren’t anchored to the concept of scales, notes, and measures, this latest free-form offering by Robert Rich can’t be beat. Highly recommended.

by Peter Thelen, Published 2002-04-01

For an artist who has continually reinvented his sound over the years, his latest diversion must be his most drastic yet. Perhaps the major change in sonics is the dominance of the MOTM modular synth, a piece of equipment that produces incredibly wet, thick, organic sounds, perfect for the concept here that almost seems like a visit to an aural, esoteric zoo. The album consists of eight pieces, and for the most part, the sonics are quite fresh, even in comparison to previous works, almost like the albums leading up to this only hinted at the unleashed imagination here. The electronic alien fauna are a delight to behold, squelchy and squishy, permeated by bizarre bestial bird calls; bubbling, surreal miasmas; and eerie, occult soundscapes. While the presence of guests Forrest Fang and Andre MacGowan bring strong reminders of previous works like Seven Veils, not to mention the familiar use of steel guitar, the overall effect comes off as a vital new direction, one informed by previous works, but with sounds new (or at least redefining) to Rich's oeuvre. Once again, Rich seems incapable of creating anything but high-quality releases.

by Mike McLatchey, Published 2002-04-01

Filed under: New releases, Issue 24, 2001 releases

Related artist(s): Forrest Fang, Robert Rich

More info
http://robertrich.bandcamp.com/album/bestiary

 

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