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Radioson, "—Ä–∞–¥–∏–æ—Å–æ–Ω"
The moniker and title of this debut album from the enigmatic Russian artist translates to "radio sleep", the codename given to a secret USSR project during the Cold War. Much like similar experiments in the USA, it was an attempt by scientists to use radio waves and sound to control and subjugate the masses. Even though I had no idea about any of this for my first listen to this tape (the text describing the background is in Russian, with a URL for an English translation), I got a distinctly sinister feeling just based on the sound: a mix of dissonant textures and subtle, hypnotic melodies that lurk just beneath the surface, making for a multifaceted release that slowly reveals its brilliant secrets.
Each side of this tape is split into two discernible, but untitled pieces.The first half of the A side begins with a brittle expanse of synthesizer.There is a cold, gray and depressive sound to it, conjuring images of a post apocalyptic wasteland of decaying concrete via its harsh, reverberated ambience.Hints of human voice and static crackle across the mix, isolated and lost.Throughout this darkness and dissonance, a simple melody is blended in.While no doubt intentional, the melody has almost the tone and colors of an alert sound that somehow became musical.
The echoing chaos that ends the first piece sets up the second nicely.Leading off with what best resembles a decrepit, decaying church organ sound, the melodic sound from before reappears, more diverse and varied in its structure, but not as clean and less distinct amongst the noise.Compared to what preceded it, the sound is a bit more static, but the musical part of the piece is more prominent, even if it concludes on a more dissonant, barren note.
On the B side, Radioson crafts a massive expanse of static and hushed, droning tones that are transformed into gliding melodies.The wall of static and noise stays sustained, with a subtle bit of flanging and effects, eventually overtaking the melody, which reappears in a ghostly form at the piece's conclusion.The second part features a heavy bit of raw, distorted synthesizer, mixed with open space and at first a bit more breathing room.Eventually with the introduction of shortwave radio recordings, number reading and alert beacons, it concludes the tape on an unsettling, tense note.
Radioson has brilliantly created an ambience of Cold War era psychological weaponry via raw electronics and unconventional melodies.Captivating from start to finish, there is a sense of malignancy that is pervasive throughout.The cleaner sounds may convey a sense of normalcy and familiarity, but as a whole the work is disconcerting and enigmatic in the best possible ways.
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