Tetsu Inoue + Taylor Deupree | Active/Freeze
12k | CD
The results of a long anticipated SF/NYC collaboration, 'Active/Freeze' might initially be perceived as a measured study in cold, hyper-minimalism; repeated listening however reveals a warmth and depth which can be all-too-easily overlooked.
In contrast to the title's implied iciness 'Active/Freeze' is predominantly shrouded in a shimmering equatorial heat. 'Remote/Beauty' features a condensed melody which bristles with the evening whine of a thousand cicada while the midi-overload of the title track 'Active/Freeze' wouldn't sound out of place in the humid tropical soundscapes of Mouse on Mars' 'Iahora Tahiti'. Equally, 'Interior/Tone' sounds like a hyper-condensed version of Microstoria-axis glitch whose trademark pops and clicks have been steadily reduced to create a distilled concentrate of extreme potency.
The integration/contrast between the pixel-precision rhythms that Deupree, in particular, is renowned for and the painstakingly formed DSP melodies of Inoue render 'Active/Freeze' captivating to witness. This is the sound of two artists enjoying a vibrant exchange of ideas which, one hopes, we might enjoy again.
[CM]
