Appropriately titled, this double cassette release by Jon Borges (Pedestrian Deposit, Emaciator) is “a four part suite” using “tape manipulation only, no effects”. Borges takes what sound like loops snatched from the radio, and, well, he seems to just slows them down. There’s something about the simplicity of the approach which reminds me of Asher’s double album from earlier this year Miniatures, and even though there is a lot more gloomy murk here, it does (on the second tape in particular) have touches of that same lyricism. I suppose I should also note a fairly marked and pretty surprising similarity at points to the work of Philip Jeck, whose habit of slowing nigh-on everything down to 16rpm is echoed by Borges’ use of (at a guess) 3 3/4ips.The short etudes here are at their strongest where the defects shine through, the pitch-shifts of tape slippage or the inclusion of radio interference. Borges is clearly the man with a razor blade too, we don’t hear his splices unless he wants us to, as on side 2 where the edit cuts through a rich piano note to silence. Not only is the title fitting, but the project name too: the feeling throughout is of glum abandonment. I can’t help wondering about Borges’ sources: whether they were in fact cheery ditties, upbeat waltzes and feel-good blasts of soundtrack strings that he has taken perverse pleasure in grouching down to depression pace. The rhythmic elements that are the focus of the first tape seem to force this misanthropic atmosphere a bit much, but the second tape, for all it’s brevity and simplicity is a gem, albeit a sullen one.
callow god discog.
available at arbor
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