The Measures Taken

Santa Sangre:
The Measures Taken is the name for a “dance performance” performed by the Alexander Whitley Dance Company. It was commissioned by the Royal Opera House in London, and Rutger Zuydervelt, the dutch sound artist working under the moniker Machinefabriek, composed the score for this event. An already appealing figure in the acoustic music underground, Rutger has scored quite a number of soundtracks for films, dance representations or video installations.
As mentioned above, this time his work reached London at the famous Royal Opera House. The choreography signed by Alexander Whitley engages five dancers sharing the stage with projected geometrically designed visuals constructed by the digital artist Marshmallow Laser Feast. The visual projections interact with the performers’ movements in real time. If somebody missed this show (as certainly most of us did), the site alexanderwhitley.com gives an ample insight into The Measures Taken’s approach and desideratum.
The music is expressly designed to articulate the balance between the dynamic of the human movements and their inferential reflection into computer-generated projections. The result is close to an innovative hybrid sound capturing, with an incredibly plausible vitality; the graceful, muscular and anatomically unpredictable motions of the flesh on a background of static, automatic and pulsating counter-reactions generated by these threedimensional visuals.
The introduction and the four parts of the disc display different sound algorithms revealed along this human-digital interaction. Part I evokes a sort of accepted discord, tamed and controlled by the digital sound and endowed with the sensitivity of classical music. On Part II, the winning melody presented before turns into an abrasive discourse, revolving around the negative effects of over-used technology, this praised field of logos that seems to have replaced the ancient messianic philosophies. The modern pace of life no longer adapts to the solutions offered by theology or psychology (or vice-versa). Technology not only has condensed and reduced human sciences to formal and syncretic fit-to-live brochures, but has lured man into infinite possibilities, altogether false and impotent to accomplish what one is truly looking for: “a deliverance from the conditions that make us human”( John Grey, quoted from the program of the dance performance). This Part II goes on a playful tribal rhythm, concocting the idea that the future will once have its own internaut tribes, lost and forgotten in some deserted space on the web. Slowing down the pace, the tone becomes relaxing, insisting not on melody, but seeking perfection in terms of quality of sound.
Fair enough; this duality, sensitivity or sentimentalism by means of melody on the one hand, and ideal quality of form or structure on the other. Such duality reflects the similar dichotomy between human and human-controlled machine. Rutger Z. said in a video related to this soundtrack, that he is “much more interested in the quality of sound itself than in something like melody or instruments”. However he reached an equilibrium in the idea that sound (his sound sources being mostly field recordings and computer generated sounds) attains an exceptional quality and thus it is inherently melodious. Listen to this graceful suite for minimal digitalized harmonies that are presented on Part III: the space that takes form around you, changes alongside the rhythms you receive.
This dialogue that Rutger has established with the environment sometimes achieves a dramatic modulation, as if he were trying to regain spontaneity and composure of music by using the very arms of modern technology. In this idea, Part IV takes a slow turn back and reaches again, on the tune of a tragic aria, the debut pattern from the Introduction.
The disc is memorable regardless of the fact we don’t have access to the visual side. Zoharum records delights the aesthete listener with another marvelous release.

Vital Weekly:
It seemed ‘quiet’ lately when it came to Machinefabriek. It might have been not since Vital Weekly 925 that we last reviewed something – which, in the world of Machinefabriek, not equals: didn’t release anything – but I do know he’s busy with on-site pieces, installations and in the case of ‘The Measure Taken’, music for a choreography by Alexander Whitley and also, at the same time, visual artists Marshmallow Laser Feast. This piece was commissioned by The Royal Ballett Studio programme and premiered in April 2014 in France and also performed in London. There’s a short introduction piece, followed by the four parts of the piece. Obviously I haven’t seen the dance piece, or the visuals, but judging by the music, there has been a shift in Machinefabriek’s music. Some of the ‘old’ Machinefabriek is still present here, the long ambientesque soundscapes is of course something that is still present, but it seems as if Machinefabriek now handles the form of sound collage more and more, building towards crescendo’s and then drops out radically. Another important addition is the use of rhythm in ‘Part II’. A kind of click ‘n cut rhythm that is not unlike that of, say, Carsten Nicolai. It’s quite surprising but it works out very well. Topped with some noise bits here and there, this is surely on the more varied releases by Machinefabriek in quite sometime. If you aren’t the biggest fan of Machinefabriek but like to check out a release every once in a while, then make sure you check out this one.

Musique Machine:
Machinefabriek is a musique concrete / avant garde composer that I already hold in high esteem. He is highly prolific, and yet his work is splendidly rich with detail, gestures layered beneath gestures, variety and precision of sound texture. His latest work “The Measures Taken” is a score designed to accompany a choreographed stage performance.
While his work is quiet, there is enough change, enough constant introduction of new sonic material, that I wouldn’t call it ‘minimalist’. That said, it is designed for the attention spans of those already familiar with musique concrete. His work contains freeform elements like rustling, wind and static, domestic feeling field recordings ambiguous in origin, and generally takes place in a drifting arrhythmic emptiness.
Gentle, liquified swaths of melodic tone are added as compliment to this, providing a more poetic, emotive and overtly musical dimension to his pieces. These tones and chords are not dissimilar to the textured e-bow drones and labyrinthine loop pedal symphonies of post rock bands like Larsen. I would guess they are created by processing real instruments such as guitar, piano and strings, though these timbres rarely become obvious.
The gentle, warm crackle of analog electronics are the focus here. This particular album shows greater emphasis on loops than other Machinefabriek I’ve heard, with resonant consonant chords iterating in reassuringly regular squares and grids, embellished with beautiful harmonics through feedback. It’s not unlike some of Biosphere’s loop based ambient works, with the same sense of calm predictability found on “N-Plants”, like watching a tape of clouds moving in fast forward. This is pretty great as a chillout album.
The album is divided into 5 songs, but they transition so seamlessly that the transitions between them are totally unnoticable. The 2 minute “Introduction” is notably sparser than the rest of what we have here, with the remaining 4 tracks, titled “Part I – IV”, which are essentially an unbroken swelling drone, continuously evolving but never dissipating, and actually reaching a surprising density in its latter half.
A precise understanding of orchestration and hierarchies of instrumental tone allows Machinefabriek to layer the drone to great effect. The presence of synthesizers and organs becomes apparent later in the album, and a sense of intense cinematic drama is achieved, a bold sound that is highly contrasted to the introverted musique concrete I have heard on other Machinefabriek albums. A soft, understated trip hop rhythm even appears at one point, the drum hits sounding like they could have once been accidental breaths into a microphone.
Ultimately, I was pleasantly surprised by this album, primarily a work of sequenced electronics and textured melodic drones, building with a patient poignancy and dramatic flair into a gushingly emotional climax. Being that this artist is hugely prolific, he has quite likely explored some of the sounds found here in the past, but I had never heard him do something quite so structured or richly tonal. Fans of post rock may find this sort of album a great entry point to musique concrete. Fans of Machinefabriek should not be let down, as his characteristic sophisticated composition style is here in abundance. I highly recommend this album.

ChainDLK:
This new release from Rutger Zuydervelt was composed for a dance performance by choreographer Alexander Whitley where the dancers interacted with the visual projected by Marshmallow Laser Feast. So the question is if the theme of man vs/with machine is evoked by the music in the absence of the visual side.
The small clicks of “Introduction” introduce the listener in a quiet musical universe where, obviously, the rhythm has a particular place as it’s fundamental for dance movements. “Part I” starts quietly with drones and trumpet like samples and quietly evolves with noises and samples in an hypnotic track. “Part II” is made out on juxtaposed lines creating a mood of cinematic tension that is released in “Part III” where the soundscape created evoke a brighter, even optimistic, mood. Almost sadly, “Part IV” closes this release with a mood of melancholy and lost.
It’s certainly grueling to rate this release without seeing the choreography referred by this score, as it’s arduous to realize the theme of the project without the press notes. However it’s as evocative as a good soundtrack. It’s worth a listen.

Quartier 23:
Nach zwei Alben mit Wiederveröffentlichungen präsentiert uns Rutger Zuydervelt nun ein brandneues Werk. Und dieses Werk hat es in sich. Es handelt sich um einen Soundtrack für eine Tanzperformance des Choreographen Alexander Whitley und Visual Art Künstlers Marshmallow Laser Feast. Mensch gegen Maschine – so darf die Thematik grob umrissen werden, wobei die Interaktivität zwischen Tänzer und Visuelle Kunst im Vordergrund steht und durch die Kombination von weißem Rauschen und treibendem Rhythmus verstärkt wird.
Nun fehlt dem Hörer natürlich das passende Bild vor Augen, um den Klängen thematisch zu folgen und auch der langsame, von klickenden Tönen dominierende Anfang läßt zunächst eher an eine Fehlfunktion des CD-Players glauben – aber: Geduld, lieber Hörer! Einfach zurücklehnen und die Kompositionen auf sich wirken lassen.
Die Belohnung ist ein wohl strukturiertes Werk, welches den Ohren schmeicheln, und jedes vorhandene Rhythmusgefühl tangieren wird.

AmbientBlog:
Released on the illustrious (polish) Zoharum label, “The Measures Taken” is the score for a dance performance by choreographer Alexander Whitley and visual artists Marshmallow Laser Feast. A multimedia performance “that explores our interdependent relationship with technology. […] A work that is both a dialogue and a duet between human movement and the digital world.”
Machinefabriek‘s music perfectly fits the theme of this performance. It starts with a short electronic snappy pulse, and there are all kinds of abrasive electronics in the score, but the true power is that it is also engaging on an emotional level.
There’s a lot of room for moments of rest between the more enervating parts, which may be why the soundtrack is very cinematic in nature.
From the abstract beginning to the soulful melodic ending, the impression is that the uncontrollable beast of electronics may be tamed. For a while, at least: the returning pulse suggests that the struggle is not over completely.

Lux Atenea:
El prolífico músico y compositor holandés Rutger Zuydervelt, alma máter de Machinefabriek, nos ha sorprendido con otro extraordinario trabajo musical el pasado 2 de febrero. El álbum “The Measures Taken” ha sido publicado a través del prestigioso sello discográfico polaco ZOHARUM RECORDS en una edición limitada de 300 unidades en ecopak CD de tres paneles, quedando finalmente engalanado con un diseño abstracto de líneas minimalistas en amarillo y marrón creado por el propio Rutger Zuydervelt. En “The Measures Taken”, esta talentosa amalgama sonora de estilos musicales como el ambient y experimental, junto al uso de drones, ha quedado definida y estructurada en estas cuatro magnas composiciones que tienen como origen la coreografía ideada por Alexander Whitley en colaboración con los artistas visuales pertenecientes al prestigioso e innovador Marshmallow Laser Feast. Una obra representada como performance en el Festival EXIT celebrado en el municipio francés de Créteil en el mes de abril de 2014, y que fue encargada por The Royal Ballet Studio Programme para ser representada en el teatro Linbury Studio (Royal Opera House) de la ciudad de Londres. La grabación de esta obra ha quedado inmortalizada en esta elegante edición que hará las delicias de los melómanos lectores de Lux Atenea Webzine que disfrutan intensamente la música experimental de vanguardia. Una fascinante audición que dará comienzo con la pausada entrada en el tema “Introduction” que, como segundos en el tiempo, nos llevarán hasta las puertas de la composición “Part I” donde la progresiva apertura al minimalismo conceptual dentro del alma sonora, irá iluminándose poco a poco con pasajes musicales de inspiración etérea que se elevan como resplandores en la oscuridad, quedando el tema “Part II” dominado por ese estado de mecanicismo intencionadamente melódico que va haciéndose más complejo según avanzamos en este viaje musical. A continuación, el manto obscuro se extenderá en la composición “Part III” mientras sus trasfondos sonoros cercanos al noise encuentran su equilibrio con los planos melódicos sensorialmente más cercanos, adquiriendo esa textura sonora nítida y clara a pesar de su opacidad ambiental, apareciendo finalmente el tema “Part IV” para cerrar este extraordinario trabajo musical con pasajes experimentales high-tech y cromatismos sonoros ambient que te seducen y atrapan mentalmente hasta su inexorable crepúsculo. “The Measures Taken”, innovación musical y magnetismo sonoro nacido en los Países Bajos. ¡¡¡Disfrútenlo!!!

Ver Sacrum:
Rutger Zuydervelt è un musicista elettronico con alle spalle oltre 150 album. Lamaggior parte dei suoi lavori sono usciti sotto il monicker Machine Fabriek e solo 19 con il suo vero nome (per quei progetti che esulano dal contesto e dalle sonorità dei Machine Fabriek). Ora la Zoharum, label polacca molto attenta e specializzata in tutto quanto è sperimentale, elettronico e ambient, pubblica The Measures Taken, un disco dei Machine Fabriek concepito come accompagnamento per una “performance” di danza del coreografo Alexander Whitley e dell’artista visuale Marsmallow Laser Feast. The Measures Taken era stato commissionato in origine dalla Royal Opera House. La tematica del lavoro è indubbiamente molto affascinante e concerne il rapporto conflittuale fra l’uomo e la macchina. Si tratta così di una performance multimediale che esplora la nostra interrelazione con la tecnologia e il lavoro rappresenta una sorta di dialogo e duetto fra il movimento umano e il mondo digitale. La musica di Rutger Zuydervelt sembra in questo senso perfetta per questo tipo di spettacolo. L’inizio è lento e caratterizzato da brevi pulsazioni elettroniche poi le ambientazioni diventano pacate e fredde. Ma nonostante questo si tratta di un’elettronica che riesce ad agire a un livello emozionale. L’unione di melodie calde, elettronica glitch e ritmiche abrasive riesce infatti ad essere molto profondo e non asettico e sterile come si potrebbe ritenere ad un ascolto superficiale. Le tracce non hanno titoli e sono diverse in 4 parti. La seconda mi ha ricordato qualcosa dei Cluster, il seminale gruppo tedesco di musica elettronica. Quel che è emerge durante l’ascolto è la grande qualità cinematica dei Machine Fabriek. L’album esce in 3-panel-ecopak e in’un edizione strettamente limitata a 300 copie.

Heathen Harvest
Rutger Zuydervelt has been recording as Machinefabriek since 2004 and has a rich and varied discography that veers from sound collage to ambient to field recordings and beyond. On The Measures Taken (Zoharum, 2015), he has created a score for a dance production by the Alexander Whitley Dance Company, based in London. The production also included interactive visual projections created by the renowned Marshmallow Laser Feast studio, also based in London. The production had its debut in France in April 2014 and premiered in London at the Linbury Studio Theatre, Royal Opera House, one month later.
The composition itself features a brief introduction and is subsequently divided into four continuous parts. A minimal ticking begins the proceedings, and as reverberation is added, so too is a fixed counterpoint within the stereo image. The effect is simple yet effective, and immediately pulls one’s attention into focus.
The sections that follow display a balanced palette of drone, rhythm, ambience, and—the likes of which most surprised and impressed me on this recording—musicality. There are sections that are purely kosmische here, both in terms of atmosphere and emotion.
But before things get too comfortable or predictable, Zuydervelt is not shy to lean on elements of haze and feedback to challenge his audience into other sonic realms. He displays an innate sense of mindfulness in terms of the overall pacing of these elements, so that they never become overbearing or grating, yet they play an important part in the dramatic effect of this score.
Of course, questions come to mind regarding the effectiveness of a score to a dance production in terms of how it stands on its own. Without the benefit of seeing the performance itself, of witnessing the beams of laser lights or the choreography of the dancers, how does the recording fare on its own? The easy answer, in this particular case, is extremely well.
The forty-three-minute duration is just the perfect length for this piece, as it is structured with measured timing and sinuous, thematic movements. The thread that ties the beginning and end of the score is that single, solitary ticking—a reminder of the simplicity inherent in the piece, and that all sound generates from a specific yet unknown source. Zuydervelt has crafted a highly effective work of great capacity and composition

Necroweb:
Zoharum dürfte seit geraumer Zeit die Freunde ritueller, wie auch exotischer Klänge, mehr als befriedigen. Denn nicht nur der Katalog von Rapoon, sondern auch der von Hybryds, erfährt dank des polnischen Vorzeigelabels seine Aufarbeitung. Der Name Hybryds steht dabei für höchste Qualität, was rituelle Tonkunst betrifft und durch vorliegende Publikation erfährt die heutige Generation eine eindrucksvolle Lehrstunde jenes Metiers. Dabei handelt es sich genau genommen um eine erweiterte Neuauflage, wobei der erste Track aus dem Jahre 1991 von einer separaten EP stammt, die beiden folgenden Teile wurden hingegen auf Tape aufgenommen und mit dem vierten Stück gibt es noch einen extra Bonus. Alle Darbietungen entspringen übrigens dem gleichen Zeitraum, wobei aber drei in dieser Form bislang nicht zugänglich waren und man deshalb eigentlich schon fast von einem komplett unveröffentlichten Werk sprechen könnte. Was hier besonders auffällt, ist die Gegebenheit, dass sämtliche Titel erst recht langsam ihren Reiz aufbauen, weshalb man die Zeit zur notwendigen Entfaltung unbedingt einplanen sollte. Schwer fällt dies freilich in diesem Klangspektrum nicht, denn Hybryds füllen mit ihrem Können so mal ganz locker Stücke aus, die über die Spieldauer von zwanzig Minuten gehen und dabei zu keinem Zeitpunkt an Faszination verlieren. Das will gut umgesetzt sein, ist es in dieser Angelegenheit auch, und so webt man einen feinen Klangteppich um den Konsumenten und suggeriert mit Bravour den Eindruck von hypnotischer Vereinnahmung. Der rituelle Aspekt fundiert dabei vorrangig auf diverser Percussion, wie Trommeln und ‘Glöckchen’, wobei dies derart geschickt bewerkstelligt wurde, dass gar nicht mal auffällt, dass man es hier mit wenig Instrumenten schafft, ein derart fesselndes Album zu kreieren. Mit der dritten Vertonung legt man dafür mehr Lebendigkeit zutage, hervorgerufen durch entsprechend vermittelte Taktgebung, weshalb jene Vertonung sich auch etwas vom Rest absetzt, ehe mit der letzten Umsetzung dann auch getragenes Flüstern zur Atmosphäre beiträgt.
Was bleibt, ist ein unbedingter Pflichtkauf für alle Freunde der rituellen Klangkunst, zumal Hybryds damit abermals ihren Status als Vorzeigeformation bestätigen. Meine absolute Empfehlung!

NonPop:
RUTGER ZUYDERVELT ist mit seinem Projekt MACHINEFABRIEK ja auch für die Vertonung von Filmen oder von Kunstaktionen bekannt. Für die Choreographie von ALEXANDER WHITLEY mit dem Namen „The Measures Taken“, die 2014/2015 in Frankreich und Großbritannien aufgeführt wurde, hat er ebenfalls die Musik beigesteuert, die nun umfänglich veröffentlicht wird.
Mir kam zunächst der Gedanke, dass die Choreographie etwas mit BERTOLT BRECHTs „Die Maßnahme“ (engl. „The Measures Taken“) zu tun haben könnte – dies ist allerdings nicht der Fall. Kern der Aufführung ist vielmehr die Darstellung der Interdependenzen zwischen Menschen und der Technologie – was einen musikalisch-konzeptionell an die 80er/90er Phase von CLOCK DVA erinnert. Die Grundrichtung bei „The Measures Taken“ sieht hier grundsätzlich einen positiven Ansatz vor – die Technologie wird also nicht als Bedrohung wahrgenommen, sondern als Unterstützer und positives Hilfsmittel oder auch einfach als Einflussfaktor (siehe digitale Medien), wobei der Mensch dennoch immer wieder auf seine Menschlichkeit – mit allen Schwächen – zurückgeworfen wird.
Da es sich um eine experimentelle Aufführung handelte, arbeitete ZUYDERVELT aber nicht mit vordergründiger „Tanzmusik“ sondern mit Ambient-/Electronica-Versatzstücken, die perfekt zur futuristischen Bühnenumsetzung, die viel auf Lichteffekte und Projektionen setzte, passt. Natürlich stellt sich die Frage, inwieweit die Musik auch für sich alleine stehen kann. Da die Tanzperformance nur runde 40 Minuten dauerte, konnte zumindest die gesamte Musik berücksichtigt werden und hört man in das Album rein, so kommt man jedenfalls nicht zwingend zu dem Gedanken, es handele sich um eine musikalische Untermalung zu einer visuellen Veranstaltung. Angefangen mit dem Intro, das mehr ein elektronisches Ticken ist, entspinnt sich nach vielen glockenähnlichen Klängen in „Part I“ gerade in „Part II“ ein mit allerlei elektronischen, futuristischen Geräuschen und Klängen dynamisiertes Stück Musik, das mit synthetischen Flächen und Drones als Grundierung aufwartet. Dazu gesellen sich zurückhaltende Rhythmusspuren. „Part III“ weist dann allerdings einen eher organischen Anstrich aus, wenn Sounds auftauchen, die stark bearbeitete Gitarrenklänge sein dürften.
Insgesamt setzt man bei der Musik des Albums eher auf Spannungsaufbau und Atmosphäre als auf herkömmliche Songstrukturen oder Melodiebögen. Das Ergebnis ist ohne Frage ein interessantes Stück Musik, das ohne Zweifel auch ohne den visuellen Aspekt funktioniert.

Only Good Music:
“The Measures Taken” to ścieżka dźwiękowa do przedstawienia tanecznego autorstwa choreografa Alexandra Whitleya oraz artystów wizualnych Marshmallow Laser Feast. Materiał powstał na zamówienie Royal Opera House i porusza problematykę: człowiek a maszyna.
Pomimo silnej interdyscyplinarności nowego albumu Machinefabriek można go słuchać w oderwaniu od ruchu i światła. Brzmi to trochę jak paradoks, ale ten album cieszy się niebywałą słuchalnością, która w pełni zastępuję brak sfery wizualnej. Zresztą jest ona bardziej niż namacalna w samej muzyce. Czy tego przyczyną jest bogata (jak na Machinefabriek) rytmika? Z pewnością. Charakterystyczny jest również mezalians skrawków melodii i szumów, gorliwość ekspresji i stonowanie napięć oraz ich rozwiązań.

Puszka Pandory / Mroczna Strefa:
W zeszłym roku recenzowałem wydany również przez Zoharum zbiór nagrań MACHINEFABRIEK z lat 2008-2013, pod tytułem „Dubbeltjes”. Tym razem jest to całkowicie premierowy materiał Rutgera Zuydervelta, napisany na potrzeby tanecznego przedstawienia stworzonego przez choreografa Alexandra Whitleya oraz artystów wizualnych Marshmallow Laser Feast. „The Measures Taken” miało swoją premierę w londyńskiej Royal Opera House w maju 2014 roku, a występ – to w skrócie pisząc – interakcja tancerzy i efektów wizualnych oraz dźwiękowych o szeroko pojętej tematyce człowiek i maszyna. Jak się okazuje, także muzyka sama w sobie, bez wizualizacji i tanecznej choreografii skupiających wzrok odbiorcy, stanowi odrębną całość i przynosi cztery kompozycje plus intro, oparte przede wszystkim na elektroakustycznych eksperymentach, charakterystycznych trzaskach, wibracjach szumu, różnego rodzaju zakłóceniach, minimalizmie i szczątkowej rytmice. Nie dziwi więc, że na tej kanwie opierają się różne sceniczne ruchy (lub odwrotnie – Rutger dopasował je do scenariusza i układów tanecznych), czasem nieśpiesznie rytmiczne, a czasem kompletnie oderwane od kwestii tempa czy rytmiki. O ile jeszcze „Part I” posiada szczątki melodyki i od pewnego momentu również wewnętrzną rytmikę, o tyle już „Part II” w dużej mierze składa się z sekwencji trzasków, zakłóceń, serii skracanych lub wydłużanych dźwięków i pojedynczych tonów, co dopiero z czasem staje się pewnym układem tychże, choć do konwencji melodycznej im niezwykle daleko. To raczej post-industrialna formuła, która sięga czasem do prawzorów klasycznej el-muzyki, o czym świadczy rozjaśnianie się i rozszerzanie się dźwięków w dalszej części „Part II” i wręcz post-rockowa przestrzenność, co akurat w powiązaniu ze w pełni elektronicznym anturażem brzmi trochę przewrotnie. W notce od wydawcy wyczytałem, że na żadnym innym materiale Zuydervelta nie było tyle muzyki napędzanej rytmem i jeśli znam twórczość tego pana tylko wyrywkowo, to trochę w tym racji jest, bowiem „The Measures Taken” jest momentami jednak mniej awangardowe i bardziej poukładane niż na przykład większość kompozycji z przywoływanego przeze mnie albumu „Dubbeltjes”. Przykładem niech będzie płynąca przez większą część „Part III” dark ambientowa faktura, którą ‘dopadają’ zakłócenia dopiero w końcówce i przy przejściu do ostatniego na płycie fragmentu o tytule „Part IV”.

Dark Room:
Autore iper-produttivo, osannato per la sua poliedricità che va di pari passo con le tante uscite che si sono avvicendate in oltre dieci anni di attività, Rutger Zuydervelt, in arte Machinefabriek, firma questa colonna sonora, originariamente commissionata dalla Royal Ballet Studio Program nel 2014 per una coreografia di Alexander Whitley, ed ora riproposta orfana della controparte visiva, nella sua sperimentale purezza sonora. L’opera, divisa in cinque tracce (un intro e quattro parti) ma di fatto concepita in modo unitario, è un’evoluzione continua in cui rumori, suoni e cambi tonali si rincorrono tuffandosi l’uno nell’altro, doppiandosi e sovrapponendosi senza sosta. Nel complesso svetta un approccio compositivo minimale e secco, dove la linearità regna sovrana e i tanti temi sembrano come in sospensione su uno sfondo costantemente asettico e pulito. Rutger accumula masse sonore attraversando spettri emozionali freddi e post-moderni, dove le partiture elettroniche diventano pietre angolari in cui far riecheggiare presunti motivi strumentali. Le scarne melodie trovano posto tra le maglie di basi flebili, lasciate crescere con lo scorrere dei minuti fino ad intensità straripanti che vanno ad inondare spazi siderali. I rintocchi glitch, ricavati da frammenti cibernetici, vengono accostati a riverberi tonali e ondate di rumore bianco. Le frequenze appaiono disturbate e geometriche, arricchite da basi monocordi o linee di synth che ricordano la spigolosità degli anni ’70. Il noise prende le forme di una realtà catturata nei movimenti quotidiani e nelle derive di un’elettronica non trattata, proposta in formato diretto e nascosta tra le fitte maglie dei brani, quasi a voler citare stralci di vita fermi su sfondi immacolati. Indubbiamente “The Measures Taken” rivendica una sua unicità a prescindere dal contesto visivo per cui è stato inizialmente concepito e, d’altro canto, si presta ad un uso trasversale tanta è la carica visionaria in esso racchiusa. La forza compositiva di Rutger è cosa ben nota e questo album non fa che confermarne la grandezza, sottolineata anche da un’eccellente resa audio e da un artwork minimale ed elegante.

Darkroom Rituals:
В последние годы нельзя не заметить того ощутимого влияния, которое оказывает Рютгер Зюйдервельт на окружающее его медиа-пространство: и альбомы выпускает более чем регулярно, активно выступает, создает саундтреки для перфомансов, экспериментального кино и презентаций, одним словом, во всей красе проявляет свои таланты. Новый его релиз, выпущенный на «Zoharum», представляет собой музыку к хореографической постановке Александра Витли и группы «визуальных артистов» «Marshmallow Laser Feast». В задачи хореографа, танцоров и визуалов входило создать единое пространство на сцене, объединяющее движения, ритмику танца с динамикой проецируемых образов . Ну а Рютгер должен был этот симбиоз человека и машины (по-прежнему не дающий покоя мыслителям и людям искусства) озвучить. Пять треков «The Measures Taken» строятся по единому принципу – создавая музыку из хаоса. Сначала мы слышим однородные электронные сигналы, белый шум, цифровой и акустический брак, вроде треска, щелчков и скрежета…а пока вы потратите свое время, пытаясь представить себе, как по это можно еще и танцевать, происходит процесс спонтанной звуковой эволюции, звуки выстраиваются во вполне себе музыкальные последовательности и из тихого, замкнутого дрона, плывущего из сплетения электронных схем, рождаются упорядоченные композиции, в которых может преобладать простой, пульсирующий ритм (что уже выделяет этот материал из привычного потока релизов «Machinefabriek»), или белое эмбиентное безмолвие, находящее время и место для привычных слуху, каким-то интуитивным образом связанных с типовыми кинематографическими саундтреками гармоний с выходящими на первый план эмоциями (обитающими где-то на болезненной границе света и сумрака), противопоставленных замысловатому, но холодному звуковому дизайну. Получается захватывающе и красиво – не секрет, что этими составляющими могут похвастаться многие работы Рютгера, но даже на их фоне «The Measures Taken» звучит настоящим «штучным» произведением искусства.