Greg Fenton reviews Scanner – Columns – The Vinyl Factory
It’s easy to throw cliques around such as journey, narrative, or immersive to describe music. All are brilliant signifiers although have a definite air of over-familiarity in the current moment. So for the sake of argument and risk of running approval let’s use the perennial phrase, taking you on a journey, as a mode of conversation because that is exactly what is happening here.
The difference between music of note and boring repetition or the prevalence of formulaic noises for dancefloors is that you are connected to the source of sound by an intimate thread of engagement like a narration that touches, pulling the emotions out from deep inside your soul. Like you can’t let go. Ever.
Fifteen minutes is not a long time given the grand scheme of everything so the lifespan inhabiting Columns is significant in modern terms. The music here stretches out narratives about longevity and thoughtful movement from A to Z, however, you may never quite arrive at an endpoint as everything feels part of an everlasting loop of invitation with sounds gathering form and then dispersing. You will doubtless feel the same about hearing these interacting sounds for the first time while experiencing similar responses at some future point marking the presence of musical excellence. That feeling doesn’t wither with age, the reaction is something you can always recall. Likewise an important part of the way music transmits too.
Tripping the light fantastic while running your senses along edges, yet calming the temptation with serenity. It is a complex yet fabulous ever-unfolding exploration of ideas and moments about music, atmosphere, and the consequences of art performed as a gentle caress overlapping a tense undertaking. The piece appears to flow freely as does all of Scanner’s considered work, accompanied by shimmering sonic sculptures plugging you into whatever scenery you see yourself stepping into. Maybe that could be because Columns was created to accompany the Ben Kelly installations commissioned by 180 Studios for the exhibition: Future Shock (2022). Autosuggestion.
The second track, Falling Columns is an altogether different proposition driven by persuading glitches of electronic percussion alongside a warm hum of bass that proves to be much more furious in execution. Interestingly the longer the music proceeds the more it settles the resolution, odd given all the fizzy intensity dancing around in its process. Two sides of a rewarding, complex coin?
Release: October 28
Download/Stream on Bandcamp
at The Vinyl Factory
Scanner
Ben Kelly Design
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