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 | Jeff Greinke:Places of Motility (Hypnos - 1998) Traveling to the past to reclaim some of Jeff Greinke's work from 1985-1988, Places of Motility provides a listen to some of the artist's early experimental (and quite surreal) works. |
| Greinke's core fans will likely be most interested in this rerelease, containing 12 tracks from the original 1987 Dossier recording, plus three previously unreleased cuts. Newcomers may not get as much from these Places, and would be advised to seek some of Greinke's more recent works (unless they're specifically looking for some fairly weird sounds, as opposed to smooth, peaceful ambience).
Most of the tracks feature an edgy murkiness, not simply attributable to working with aged master tapes. The darkness is inherent in these sounds, and the experimentation leans toward the mad scientist school of sound deformation. Fragmented and electronically altered voice snippets are often heard amongst the twisting strains of synth and electronic sound effects. For instance: Hazy distortions, strange, frantic bamboo-like drumming and long synthtones add fuel to the spirited uprising where burbling wells of electrons rise and distant crashes intrude. Randomly strummed strings are suspended in darkness, where animalistic growls and a long, continually oscillating strand of sound are heard. Varied materials lead to a wide range of sound and mood; a buzzingly electronic undercurrent runs through centuries passed, whereas a dank place is built upon constant, muffled piano cyclings, and the short (2:12) swayed relies on distant, yet resounding synth chords. An almost bovine lowing accompanies the quirky bass rhythm of dropped, which is joined by many other hissing, warbling and oscillating noises. The afore mentioned vocal snippets come in different forms as well; straightforward samples, and wildly mutated cries, are at the heart of the disturbing Fallacy, intermingling with its loping guitar rhythm. The voices in unfamiliar voices though are only of the nasty beast variety, snarling through the otherwise trancey synth backdrop. spoken with authority is notable for the demanding, alien-tongued voices; between the hypnotic background rhythm, it sounds as if you're being violently ordered about by a pissed-off extraterrestrial. Interestingly, the final two tracks (of the three from 1988), the well (POM's long runner at 5:15) and cirrus, are notably more mellow (and the most ear-friendly), adrift in a more soothing sonic soup, indicative of things to come in Greinke's progression. |
| Places of Motility is a varied and interesting, if slightly challenging, collection. Not only for its historic glimpses, I rate it with One Thumb Up. Jeff Greinke has graced us with an exclusive AmbiEntrance interview, if you'd like to know more, or visit his Hypnos website. |  |
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