Marcus Fischer - Monocoastal

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5...according to our Phil on Thu 18 Nov, 2010.

12K release a lot of quality albums and here's another. I've not heard of Marcus Fischer before but he's a sound artist from somewhere or other and this is an album of found sounds, hisses, field recordings, acoustic instruments, tape loops and warm sounding layers of varying tomfoolery which are inspired by Fischer's movements up and down the West Coast of America over the last 20 years. It's quite aquatic sounding but it being an homage to the Pacific that kinda explains that one. it's genuinely lovely music. The sound is warm, there's plenty going on, there's lots of space for the sounds to breathe, everything fits into place nicely and overall you've got a very rich sounding album. It sounds very natural and not too processed and that's what I'm enjoying about this album. It's nice to hear something like this played with instruments etc and it not be too dependent on digital business. Excellent! One of the best things I've heard on the label in a while!

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Monocoastal was inspired by Fischer’s movements up and down the West Coast of America over the last two decades. Washes of tape hiss play homage to the Pacific Ocean, while multiple layers of details reveal themselves differently upon each listen. Tiny sounds originate from field recordings and are given the same attention as conventional instrumentation. Found instruments--such as a piano discovered in the corner of a salvage warehouse and a xylophone made of metal wrenches--create sounds captured through both analog and digital recording. Detail is removed rather than added, and harmonic tones are discovered in natural resonances. The compositions on Monocoastal are built upon a bed of low fidelity textures, an exercise in restraint and tension. Space between notes plays an important compositional role to create this balance and tape loops provide organic repetition that wavers subtly with warmth and imperfection. There is a fractured and naturally worn sense to Fischer’s compositions, each one an object itself summed from carefully selected instruments and tones used in their making.

Monocoastal is another 12k release next to Taylor Deupree’s Shoals, Solo Andata’s self-titled release and the latest CD from Seaworthy + Matt Rösner that represents the current aesthetic of the label: a passion for acoustic and found sounds, a minimal of obvious DSP and synthesis, and a natural warmth created by analog recordings and the use of physical space. Fischer’s instruments include a variety of guitars, both acoustic and electric, lap harps, melodicas, ukelele, home-made instruments, field recordings, and the use of manually manipulated cassette recorders to create stop-and-start compositions. Much like Fischer’s creative blog DustBreeding, Monocoastal finds beauty in everyday objects and surroundings and portrays a hazy, personal narrative, like the cover photography taken by Fischer himself on expired Polaroid film.

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