Gyratory System – New Harmony (Angular Recording Corporation)
2/5
By: Matt Cole
When writing a review, I tend to sit with an A3 layout pad and scrawl the first thing that comes to mind while listening. This collection of disjointed similes and fractured descriptions are then weaved into something resembling a cohesive piece of text. Here are a few extracts from my notes for New Harmony, the new album from (kinda) electronica artists Gyratory System:
“It sounds like the theme-tune to a Japanese cartoon starring Bubo the mechanical Owl from the original Clash Of The Titans...”
“An Art Of Noise covers album by the psychotic clockwork monkey from Toy Story 3”
“Pneumatic Drills wearing tap shoes.”
“An angry wasp playing a vuvuzela”
“Brian Eno with a migraine”
In short, New Harmony is wall to wall bonkers, which unfortunately is both its blessing and curse.
I’d like to think that the name Gyratory System is a nod to Orbital, who named themselves after the M25 (a road the Hartnoll Brothers apparently spent a disproportionate amount of the late 80’s circumnavigating in search of raves.) Gyratory System’s blend of danceable rhythms and found sound loops resemble a mutated clone of Middle Of Nowhere-era Orbital with the melody chromosome removed and a stunted palette of sounds.
The result is an album that is at first curiously entertaining. However, by the time we hit ‘Hotel Curious’, the whole thing has descended into repetitive irritant territory, coming on like the soundtrack to a drama school performance art project.
There are definite flashes of beauty along the way, with the muted horns of ‘Sicilian Avenu’e feeling like a gift among the farting and tik-takking, and the Steve Reich indebted, staccato looping of ‘Gargoyle’ showing some of the sophistication that Gyratory System obviously aspire to.
Perhaps if New Harmony had been sequenced more as a symphony than a collection of individual tunes it may have been more successful, with sounds and patterns allowed to evolve and segue into each other, creating a more cohesive aural journey. As it stands you’re left feeling as if you’ve just spent an hour trapped in a lift with an aspiring comedian who describes himself as “a bit wacky” and insists on trying out every gag in his routine, even as the cable breaks and you plummet to a clattery death.
Artists in this article: Gyratory System
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