David Shea – AM/PM (2021)
FLAC (tracks) 24bit/48kHz | Time – 00:28:40 minutes | 314 MB | Genre: Modern Classical, Electronic, Ambient
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Room 40
Downtown NYC innovator and notorious turntablist David Shea scores Belgian writer/director Herrman Asselberghs’ “AM/PM” with a selection of computer and acoustic instruments, creating shifting clouds of disorienting drone, noise and ambience.
A pupil of Morton Feldman and a well-known John Zorn-collaborator, as well as a DJ, teacher and influential artist, David Shea has lived many lives already. His latest series of releases is a collection of soundtracks from film, video game and media projects, the first of which is this unsettling score to Herrman Asselberghs’ “AM/PM”. Asselberghs was inspired by Chris Marker’s defining 1962 film “La Jetée”, using still photographs and slow motion tracking shots with dialog that dealt with the emotional impact of global media and terrorism. So you can probably imagine that the music isn’t exactly upbeat.
Shea’s treatment is pitch black, a combination of acoustic instruments – percussion, brass, strings, piano – and noisy computer elements that sounds as fresh as it does unsettling. The loosely orchestral elements direct our minds into soundtrack mode, but we’re never allowed to get comfortable. As soon as brassy wails or rolling piano notes suggest a Bernard Herrmann or John Williams score, Shea adds waves of uncomfortable synthetic noise or groaning dark ambience. It’s an ideal treatment given the subject matter, just make sure to keep the lights on.
Tracklist:
1. AM/PM Movement I (03:05)
2. AM/PM Movement II (04:03)
3. AM/PM Movement III (09:32)
4. AM/PM Movement IV (02:51)
5. AM/PM Movement V (03:53)
6. AM/PM Movement VI (05:19)
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