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REVIEWS
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White Cake Sky
Black Well Monotony
11-11
Pole
Gate 9
Stalker
So High
Dig
Down Below
Repulsive and Delicious
Creatures
Pencilhead
Arson Dandy
U.R.I.M.
To Crush a Sweet Peach
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REVIEWS
Tuner
Pole
Unsung Records
Posted: Friday, April 25, 2008
By: Ilker Yücel
Editor
By: Ilker Yücel
Editor
Crossing genres and breaking conventions to produce a work of absolute experimentation.
Beyond the confines of the 4/4 time signature and the traditional band lineup of vocalist/guitarist/bassist/drummer lies a culture of musicianship dedicated to absolute experimentation and exploration. Tuner is one such collective in this realm, headed by Markus Reuter and Pat Mastelotto. Both are celebrated musicians with a plethora of history behind them, Reuter being notable for his work in Centrozoon and Mastelotto for being not only a renowned session player but also a member of King Crimson since 1994. The merging of these two musical masterminds is an almost certain recipe for eccentricity, enabling the listener to embark on a journey that takes more twists and turns than a Celtic knot.
Beginning with the mournful tones of "White Cake Sky," complex rhythmic patterns abound as aggressive guitars hover above waves of Mellotron-like flutes. Peter Kingsbery's vocals run the range from distorted aggression to abstract shouts, treading the line between art rock and heavy metal; the line is further blurred as Ulver's Kristoffer G. Rygg adds a single growl to the track. Austrian vocalist SiRenée lends her mysterious voice to quite a number of tracks, her deadpan delivery complementing the schizophrenic electronic textures and oddball percussion of "Black Well Monotony," while the interplay between her and Deborah Carter adds a surreal yet sultry quality to the paranoid noir atmospheres of "Stalker." "11-11" is perhaps the most notable track, over 10 minutes of intriguing progressions of jazzy tones delivered via subdued electronics, Theremins, vibraphones, and slight guitars, with spoken words creating an even more ominous mood; the piece would fit perfectly as a soundtrack to a crime/suspense thriller. The same could be said of "Repulsive and Delicious," which has an almost Harem-like cadence with melodies intertwining mazelike, while other tracks like "Dig," "Pencilhead," and the title track take a more hard rock approach, reminiscent of Mastelotto's work in King Crimson, albeit with Reuter's signature tones and arrangements of acoustic, electric, and touch guitars. Also intriguing are Lisa Fletcher's contributions on "So High" and "Down Below," as she harmonizes above a pair of discordant piano segues, her voice(s) dreamily dropping like an angelic choir falling upon a bed of clouds.
Tuner's second album presents something of a challenge to the average music lover, with tempos and tonalities constantly shifting, never landing firmly in any single genre or mood. Pole could certainly appeal to jazz fusion enthusiasts as the album is chockfull of improvisational and polyrhythmic constructions, but there is also enough aggression present to grab the attention of those with an ear for progressive metal in the vein of Tool and Meshuggah, and there's certainly no lack of innovative electronics to put a smile on the face of any fan of experimental electro. Put simply, Tuner is a band with far-reaching potential, and proof positive that good music is as fluid as our bodily makeup.
Beginning with the mournful tones of "White Cake Sky," complex rhythmic patterns abound as aggressive guitars hover above waves of Mellotron-like flutes. Peter Kingsbery's vocals run the range from distorted aggression to abstract shouts, treading the line between art rock and heavy metal; the line is further blurred as Ulver's Kristoffer G. Rygg adds a single growl to the track. Austrian vocalist SiRenée lends her mysterious voice to quite a number of tracks, her deadpan delivery complementing the schizophrenic electronic textures and oddball percussion of "Black Well Monotony," while the interplay between her and Deborah Carter adds a surreal yet sultry quality to the paranoid noir atmospheres of "Stalker." "11-11" is perhaps the most notable track, over 10 minutes of intriguing progressions of jazzy tones delivered via subdued electronics, Theremins, vibraphones, and slight guitars, with spoken words creating an even more ominous mood; the piece would fit perfectly as a soundtrack to a crime/suspense thriller. The same could be said of "Repulsive and Delicious," which has an almost Harem-like cadence with melodies intertwining mazelike, while other tracks like "Dig," "Pencilhead," and the title track take a more hard rock approach, reminiscent of Mastelotto's work in King Crimson, albeit with Reuter's signature tones and arrangements of acoustic, electric, and touch guitars. Also intriguing are Lisa Fletcher's contributions on "So High" and "Down Below," as she harmonizes above a pair of discordant piano segues, her voice(s) dreamily dropping like an angelic choir falling upon a bed of clouds.
Tuner's second album presents something of a challenge to the average music lover, with tempos and tonalities constantly shifting, never landing firmly in any single genre or mood. Pole could certainly appeal to jazz fusion enthusiasts as the album is chockfull of improvisational and polyrhythmic constructions, but there is also enough aggression present to grab the attention of those with an ear for progressive metal in the vein of Tool and Meshuggah, and there's certainly no lack of innovative electronics to put a smile on the face of any fan of experimental electro. Put simply, Tuner is a band with far-reaching potential, and proof positive that good music is as fluid as our bodily makeup.
