THE PLAYFULNESS THAT ACCOMPANIED THIS ERA OF ELECTRONIC MUSIC, TONGUES FIRMLY PUSHED IN CHEEKS AS CEX, KID606, APHEX, BOGDAN RADCYNZSKI, CEEPHAX, V/VM, THE MEMBERS OF FENN O'BERG (JIM, FENNESZ, PETER 'PITA' REHBERG) AND MANY MORE HELPED ESTABLISHED NOT JUST AN ELEMENT OF THE MUSICAL LANGUAGE BUT A SLIPPERY FORM OF IDENTITY FOR MORE RAREIFIED FORMS OF EXPERIMENTAL COMPUTER SOUND. TRICKSTERISH BY NATURE, I THINK IT DID A LOT TO OFFER ITSELF UP AS THE PISS-TAKING FUN FORM OF MUSIC WHILE GUITAR MUSIC GOT REALLY PO-FACED.
THIS ALBUM COMPILES PERFORMANCES FROM A EUROPEAN TOUR OF IMPROVISED LAPTOP PERFORMANCES (I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THAT EVEN WORKS, SORRY). YOU CAN HEAR BITS THAT ARE IDENTIFIABLY FENNESZ (BITCRUNCHY WHIRLWIND GUITAR FLUTTERING) BUT MOSTLY THEY HAVE A GOOD INTERPLAY OF LIGHT-HEARTED ELECTRONIC EXPLORATION. THERE ARE LITTLE SNATCHES OF FAMILIAR MELODIES (IE FROM FAMOUS SONGS) THAT JUMP INTO THE EAR AND OUT BEFORE YOU CAN PLACE THEM.
WHILE THAT MIGHT NOT SEEM LIKE THE PRESS PHOTO OF A GROUP OF LADS WHO ARE A BARREL OF LAUGHS, THIS IS AVANT-GARDE MUSIC THAT HAS MORE IN COMMON WITH THE SURREALIST/DADAIST TRADITION: IT WOULD RATHER MAKE YOU REACT PHYSICALLY THAN OVERTHINK IT TOO MUCH. IT'S A SIDE OF O'ROURKE WE RARELY SEE AND I THINK IT IS QUITE APPEALING ON THE WHOLE.
LIKE A LOT OF IMPROVISED MUSIC WITH TOO MANY BIG NAMES ON THE MARQUEE PERHAPS IT DOESN'T EXPLORE A PARTICULAR MOOD FOR LONG ENOUGH, UNLESS THAT MOOD IS RESTLESS GLEE, IN WHICH CASE IT DOES THAT FOR THE ENTIRE ALBUM.
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