Caen based duo Glass delivers 'crY' a dense, fully-loaded new EP of sharp sound design and endemic transparency—full of meaning.
'What is considered making music today? What is it that we like / dislike or is considered music today? Monotonous structures, global rhythm, predictability? How profound is the influence of pervasive media on how we shape our tastes? Are we able to dissect the overwhelming presence of multimedia content?'—Glass.
By focusing on the physical aspect of sound—in its broadest way—'crY' can be seen as a response to an explicit impulse to investigate modern commodification beyond its soothing, enjoyable and relaxing facade. Its sonic matrix is a complex yet crystal clear mixture of deconstructed jungle, weirdo techno and ambient structures, a puzzled vision made out of fragmented references including UK dance music, gaming, Max/MSP deviations and other electronic concoctions.
From the ambient interludes of 'my broken nails' / 'Foreign body' / 'Fragmented memories' to the elaborate narratives and discontinuous apexes of the title track 'crY', to the junglist extravaganza of 'Appointment Scheduling System' and the hectic course of 'multi-functional prosthetic hand' ,this work strikes the listener by contrasting pleasure with inadequacy, excitement with frustration.
Creating, tweaking, sampling / re-sampling and arranging mutual material remotely—Glass deliberately worked in separate studios, limiting their meeting to pleasure and strongly encouraging the active participation of all parties in the whole process and in general discussions. The making of this release ended up building a community—sure thing!
French designer Marick Roy—responsible for the art-work—created a comprehensive meta-object, a sort of 'black hole' where all the aesthetics of 'crY' concentrate in a mysterious, eerie, dense 'thing' which will—also—turn into a light and rather volatile limited edition large square scarf, to make you wear 'crY'~~