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Nicholas Szczepanik, "Ante Algo Azul" (Parts 1-4)
The "subscription series" concept of releasing music always reminds me of the Vinyl on Demand label, which has been following this model for a while now, with apparently great success. Szczepanik's series of 3" discs, however, is a very different approach. Here it’s a series of handmade relics that further add to his intimate works that feel far more personal than other "series" releases.
With each piece being a stand-alone work, there’s obviously a lot of room for variation and experimentation, but even with that, there is a certain sonic unity to be heard between pieces.For example, the first volume, "Not Knowing (for Eliane Radigue)" is, overall, the sparsest piece here.Slowly rising and falling low register sounds slowly evolve and develop, eventually being met with shrill high frequency passages.With all its subtlety and hushed nature, it pays respectful homage to Radigue's work, even when the denser, more pronounced bits appear later on.
"An Underside" uses a similar tact of minimalism, mixing low end drones and patterns that retains the slow drift of "Not Knowing", but with a thicker sound overall, and all within a slightly raw, noisy expanse.There’s also just a bit more darkness to it as well, for me it conjured images of being alone, floating in the ocean…not necessarily scary, but the sense of the unknown that comes along with isolation.
This is contrasted by "Candor of Night," which uses what sounds like fragments of old symphonic 78s to create these meditative passages that are dripping with analog warmth.The piece is more inviting and beautiful, with a constantly shifting dynamic that is sometimes boisterous and dramatic, other times restrained and pensive.
The fourth installment, "Amaranthine," feels like the fitting counterpart to the previous one, using a similar sonic palate of rich sounds, but more heavily layered and more consistent dynamics throughout, rather than the quiet and loud moments of "Candor of Night," where there is a more sustained intensity from beginning to end.
Hearing these four works (the first third of the series) back to back, I was able to appreciate the nuances that set them apart from one another, but they all clearly had the touch of Szczepanik's hand, an approach that surpasses just "drone" and embraces space and repetition, but in a unique way. The pieces have this intimate quality to them sonically, which is only increased by the painstakingly made personal touch of the artwork and packaging.With the strength of the first four of these releases, I’m excited to hear what the future installments will bring.
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