Aphex Twin - Alarm Will Sound
Acoustica

Here I am again talking about audio-hybrids, frankestein-music, and unidentified sound materials, things that can be defined as "other-listenings" that often (and gladly) manage to shift the barbed wire in our mental fences regarding music and its classification a few meters further.

Here is this strange electronic-orchestral experiment of 2005 entirely played by a band of nearly 20 members among violins, cellos, violas, and trombones interpreting one of the least interpretable things by a classical orchestra: the cold and disconcerting music of Aphex Twin.

A sound and rhythmic hammering performed with full scores and orchestral direction on an abstract and asymmetrical musicality typical of a certain pulsating and percussive electronic music often well beyond the commonly accepted 120 bits. A long and articulated album where we constantly oscillate between electronic and analog virtuosity (!) and where everything coexists in the name of a performance and interpretative skill well above the usual standards. The thing itself is not entirely new, but the curiosity lies in the organic and never forced intersection of two worlds so seemingly irreconcilable. A total of 14 inspired and "fast" tracks skillfully directed and arranged by different "masters" who take turns leading the ensemble "Alarm Will Sound," not new to such experiments (just remember the splendid tribute to Steve Reich in 2002).

The "orchestral minds" are Stefan Freund, Jonathan Newman, Payton MacDonald, Caleb Burhans, Ken Thomson, Courtney Orlando, Evan Hause, John Orfe, John P. Richards, and Dennis DeSantis, who interpret the various pieces with "classical" skill while not distorting the "inorganic" and cold nature of the original bases. A chiseling game, where attention is gradually focused on the arrangement as a whole without overloading the pieces with obsolete or confusing solutions (listen to the lightness and class of "Blue Clax" diffuse and pounding without ever overdoing it).
But there is also room for faintly playful moments with a classic flavor with violins playing in counterpoint with electronic loops ("Fingerbib") giving a sense of pleasant estrangement to the piece. Then we move to moments of bleak minimalist ambient desolation with the track "Gwerly Mernans": five minutes of ethereal experiments suspended between P. Glass and Terry Ripdal (always them!) to reach pieces like "Prep Gwarlek 3B" woven on oriental percussive carpets or "Omgyjya Switch 7", almost a muffled proto-funk that I dare to define as modal-fusion with clarinet and piano improvisations supporting the long 5 minutes of the piece.

Then there are pleasant interludes like track 11 "Jynweythek Ylow" (absurd titles worthy of the best Bartezzaghi it seems!) in counterpoint of plucked violins and double bass with a vaguely Renaissance flavor. Instead, the next "Mt. Saint Michel" starts almost on a low note only to rocket with an almost samba rhythmic base in strong contrast with the acerbic and icy sounds.
The jaw then drops baffled at listening to the dance remixed piece (!) of "Prep Gwarlek 3B remix", something extremely cool that even pushes the most reluctant (like me) to move along in rhythm. And it closes with "Cliffs Remix" also dance, close to the sounds of the best Herbert rich in unexpected turns and really enviable sound solutions of Zappa-like reminiscence.

An interesting and beautiful album, perhaps a bit long for the quality and quantity of material offered (we reach 70 minutes!) but surely so packed with ideas that, taken in small doses, will continue to play on your stereo player at least once a month, if only to remind us what the words "originality" and "quality" mean when applied to music "overall."