vok the prodigal son (reconfigured) (cdr from pigdog recordings)
vok must be very very busy, because i have a new cd from them, a deconstruction of a complete Benjamin Britten opera [which certainly seems like no small task].i couldn't say just why they chose this particular opera over another, especially without having heard the source, and i hesitate to guess, so i'll just concentrate on the sound. if i was to compare this to anything, and i will, it'd be a book from a flooded out library thats half turned to pulp, with only partly recognizable bits of text left, cos the identifiable source only peeks out every once in a while. when the source is apparent, though, it is put to good use. one of the most laid back tracks that i've ever heard from vok is track 3, which seems to be just a bit of the score with reverb and delay, and other quiet sounds, very nice and atmospheric. track 13 is one of my favorites, though, just for the way it opens: you can hear the vocalist draw breath and begin to sing but then it explodes into a fierce feedback scream. track 7 is nice too, an uncomplicated degrading loop piece [cos you know i love the loops]. at times more subdued than previous vok releases, but still with plenty of ear destroying abrasiveness, without falling into the 'harsh noise' stereotype. very hard to pigeonhole really. a few of the tracks from this are on their mp3.com page [TPSone and TPStwo] so you can go check them out. great packaging too, cool minimal cardboard inserts.