Reynols - Blank Tapes (Trente Oiseaux, 2000)

1 Untitled 3:32
2 Untitled 10:59
3 Untitled 11:06
4 Untitled 10:08
5 Untitled 6:22
6 Untitled 8:28

Explorations in silence and electrostatic sounds from this Argentinian trio consisting of Miguel Tomasin, Roberto Conlazo and Anla Courtis. Six tracks "made only with analog and digital processings over selected blank tapes dating from 1978 to 1999". The first piece consists of barely audible hiss, with only slight variations. This is the most "blank" of all the tapes presented here. The second piece builds on the same foundation as the first, but quickly becomes much more audible with high pitched hiss and whistling. The third piece flutters comfortably at a low volume (very nice!), while the fourth begins in silence and slides in and out with variations in tape hiss. The fifth piece startled me out of my complacency with its more intrusive sound barrage, and the sixth returns again to subtler shifts and variations. Of course, descriptions of these pieces are a far cry from being an adequate response to this recording. It's the total experience of listening to this disc that really matters, and requires an account that is less descriptive and more impressionistic. The tabula rasa that is the foundation for each of these pieces is a medium we are all familiar with. The way Reynolds builds on this foundation is remarkable - sometimes barely noticeable and at others unmistakable and startling. As an aside, I recently became aware that they are performing some live shows in Argentina. I wonder what a performance by these artists would be like? Blank Tapes is an excellent addition to the Trente Oiseaux catalogue, worthy of much attention, that should be welcomed the world over by fans of this label's activities.
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Birchville Cat Motel & Reynols - Split (Reverse Recordings, 2004)

A1 Reynols Live In London In Paris (20:06)
B1 Birchville Cat Motel Mercy Shall Ride + These Darkening Orbits (20:14)

Drones lourds par les argentins Reynols et Birchville Cat Motel....

One side is featuring the outstanding now disbanded outrockers Reynols from Argentina, doing a 20 minute heavy drone session. The session was originally broadcast live on March 14th 2003 via Resonance FM from Paris to London. This is one of the more accessible Reynols recordings, but still unmistakable Reynols. The other side is featuring the equally outstanding Birchville Cat Motel from New Zealand doing a highly sensible and multilayered studio recording, that really shows the best sides of this great musician. Sloooww noise or ambient music without the sleaze element. Pauline Oliveros once described Reynols as deep heavy listening metal, a term that also seems to fit the drones of Birchville Cat Motel perfectly. In any case this is recording that will take dronefans to droneheaven. This release is limited to 208 copies pressed on 180 gram vinyl. Artworks by Reynols. Each record comes with an individual photograph.

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