Search - Robert Henke :: Signal to Noise

THE THRILL OF DECAY

Kerry Leimer | Makawao, Hawaii United States | 08/23/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The distance between most musical forms isn't really such a great one: in music the illusion of change is often more profound than the change in music itself. If you've wondered what the real sea change in music might sound like, you need to spend some time with the likes of Robert Henke.



"Signal to Noise" is a defining accomplishment in its approach, execution and aesthetic sensibility. Preoccupied almost completely with signal processing and reprocessing -- Henke refers to his technique here as granular resynthesis -- Parts I and II of "Signal to Noise" display some remarkable musical results. By occasionally allowing the source material to surface Henke creates a shift in the listener's perception. Comprehended not so much as a "petit mort", but more like a small and gentle stroke, your perception of what's going on changes. And thanks to the care given this work you will know when the source material surfaces: it emerges in a distinctly recognizable way, not like some other sound lumped on top of another soundscape. Which is to say that there is a more keenly detectable set of goals about this music that sets it far apart from the vast body of drone ambient that's out there.



"Studies for Thunder" is literally that: synthetically created electrical storms. The metaphor is clear enough, but the piece sits a bit uncomfortably between environmental recording and electronic music simply because the calibre of finish Henke brings to this will leave most casual listeners thinking that they are in fact listening to a skilled phonographer's field recording. While the first two pieces are genuinely musical accomplishments, "Studies for Thunder" seems like a little bit of technological sleight-of-hand.



That nit aside, Henke's work here points to something new and entirely worth your attention."