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Keith Fullerton Whitman, "Antithesis"
Kranky
If Playthroughs was a meditation on the blurred landscapes of sleep, Antithesiscomes as a particularization: a focus on the sounds happeningin-between. Things are evidently different the moment "Twin GuitarRhodes Viola Drone (for LaMonte Young)" begins. Though steeped in themystique and subtle caress of electric moans, "Twin Guitar Rhodes..."is blessed with the pure and unaltered sound of piano melodies, choralecho, and unmistakable guitar rhythms. It's incorrect to say that KeithFullerton Whitman's sound is evolving, all of these tracks wererecorded between 1994 and 2002. Whitman is showing us another sidethough: "Obelisk (for Kurt Schwitters)" plays through a labyrinth ofeerie howls, altered vibrations, and percussive rattles. The shaking ofmetal and the rolling of low drums establishes a whole new world ofsounds I've not heard from Whitman before and it sounds fantastic.While the first two tracks had me excited, it's side B that sounds mostawe-inspiring. "Rhodes Viola Multiple" begins with an oddly phrasedmelody that tiptoes over the rest of the song; it produces the image inmy mind of a small girl dancing in the summer. The background is filledwith sound of spaceships launching into space and cars buzzing by underthe sun - the music begins to hum as a unified whole eventually and thesound drifts off into a haze of bird calls and interdimensional timewarps. "Schnee" comes as the biggest and most welcome surprise. Thetrack begins with the melodic plucking of a guitar underscored by thetribal rhythm of tomtom drums and heavy cymbals. Slowly the buzz andform of an electric guitar climbs over the mass of rhythm and ushersforth smoke and shadowy figures, feeling like, at times, the soul of asnake-charmer. The electric and acoustic guitar struggle with eachother, each establishing a new melody over the last, and all the whiledrum solos trace out the pulse of the struggle. Everything about thisEP is gorgeous. The music is a an excellent treat from Whitman - thesongs reveal a side of his compositional skills I've never heard beforeand they're nothing short of magical.
If Playthroughs was a meditation on the blurred landscapes of sleep, Antithesiscomes as a particularization: a focus on the sounds happeningin-between. Things are evidently different the moment "Twin GuitarRhodes Viola Drone (for LaMonte Young)" begins. Though steeped in themystique and subtle caress of electric moans, "Twin Guitar Rhodes..."is blessed with the pure and unaltered sound of piano melodies, choralecho, and unmistakable guitar rhythms. It's incorrect to say that KeithFullerton Whitman's sound is evolving, all of these tracks wererecorded between 1994 and 2002. Whitman is showing us another sidethough: "Obelisk (for Kurt Schwitters)" plays through a labyrinth ofeerie howls, altered vibrations, and percussive rattles. The shaking ofmetal and the rolling of low drums establishes a whole new world ofsounds I've not heard from Whitman before and it sounds fantastic.While the first two tracks had me excited, it's side B that sounds mostawe-inspiring. "Rhodes Viola Multiple" begins with an oddly phrasedmelody that tiptoes over the rest of the song; it produces the image inmy mind of a small girl dancing in the summer. The background is filledwith sound of spaceships launching into space and cars buzzing by underthe sun - the music begins to hum as a unified whole eventually and thesound drifts off into a haze of bird calls and interdimensional timewarps. "Schnee" comes as the biggest and most welcome surprise. Thetrack begins with the melodic plucking of a guitar underscored by thetribal rhythm of tomtom drums and heavy cymbals. Slowly the buzz andform of an electric guitar climbs over the mass of rhythm and ushersforth smoke and shadowy figures, feeling like, at times, the soul of asnake-charmer. The electric and acoustic guitar struggle with eachother, each establishing a new melody over the last, and all the whiledrum solos trace out the pulse of the struggle. Everything about thisEP is gorgeous. The music is a an excellent treat from Whitman - thesongs reveal a side of his compositional skills I've never heard beforeand they're nothing short of magical.
