Sonic Behaviour

I have a on-again/off-again relationship with modular synth music. The majority of what’s out there is just arty-types feeling like they’re scientists as they twist knobs and “experiment.” This record bucks my stereotype by actually having a purposefulness to the songs. The theme of this record is to revel in sound in “all its glory.” The three main tracks combine sound design, rhythms, and spoken word into throbbing meditations on how a sound can evolve into music. “The Siren Is a Simple Device” is my favorite. It literally turns air raid sirens into instruments all while explaining the physics of the siren itself. “Sonic Sculpture” yearns to hear the sound of a piano falling down the stairs. I guess Colin Newman’s “Slowfast (falling down the stairs with a drumkit)” wasn’t extreme enough. These days, Umor Rex has become my go-to label for new music.