A part of the spat of new releases on Room40
over late 2008 and early 2009, this offering is produced by Montreal-based sound
designer France Jobin, best known for her conceptually mind boggling sound
experiments as I8U. This latest work, 10-33 cm,
focuses on string theory, an attempt to adapt these tenets of quantum physics to
a sound context.
Being unfortunately shackled to an intellect
utterly bereft of mathematical knowledge, I have no way of interpreting the
conceptual basis for the piece, but Jobin’s skill as a sound designer is
undeniable. Jobin creates a seven-part, 46 minute long universe of mainly
sine-tone based sound worlds that are remarkable in their focus and detail. Each
track is assigned a different ‘type’ of string and the disparity between the
contents of each section is marked. The most beautiful moments in the work come
at the very beginning, where tiny, high frequency sounds move in and out of each
other and take on a delicate form. Massive arrays of sounds subsequently provide
counterpoint to this initial moment, but ultimately don’t match the atmosphere
that it creates.
The most remarkable element of this release is
the ability for such intellectual, difficult music to become as evocative, even
on an emotional level, as much of 10-33 cm is. A criticism may be, for
all of its intricacies, these experiments occasionally lapse into
over-repetition, becoming reduced to its subject matter, rather than finding
identity through the medium by which the concept is being expressed – sound.
However, as a whole, the suite is tight and well constructed, finding moments of
great intensity and poise.
Room40 are known for managing the compromise
between the intellectual aesthetic of this corner of experimental music and its
ability to ascertain a human reaction to it, beyond the arguably dry conceptual
origins that often mark the associated releases. I8U is an example of this
success; above all, a demonstration of the complexity of Jobin’s craft, an
approach to sound design that is difficult to fault, in its strong intent and
flawless execution.
-Marcus Whale
