Cornucopia : .C.

Omei: I/C/U (Intensive Care Remix)
Needle & Sony Mao: docCdot
Lasse Marhaug: C:Frozen
Black Sand Desert: Caustic Sermon On A Shattered Cylinder
RGV: (C.)onsilence
Ultra Milkmaids: He-riko
David Wells: Op.1 (r)
TV Pow: Don't Sweat The Credit Card Balance, It'll All Be Over Soon
duul_drv: To See Cedars
Andrew Duke: .C. (Andrew Duke Remix)
Kim Cascone: The Brides' Glass Domain
Critikal: Inexorable Process Of Suction
Zanstones: Corniption Fit
Francisco López: Untitled #139

Although knowing that Cornucopia have been around for quite some time, in light of the absolutely huge number of underground acts out there, there are some that will always get overlooked. For me Cornucopia were such a project, however as this release represents the project’s first foray onto the CD format it is fitting that it is the first material I have heard from the duo. Hailing from Puerto Rico this is hardly a common place that leaps to mind when considering experimental sound art projects. Yet despite this potential geographic handicap they have still managed to tour Europe, where this particular piece of music was constructed and recording on the road of their 2001 tour. “.C.” is the fruits of those recordings, with a single track with a length of 37 minutes.

With the resultant composition, it consists of a numerous sections that span a wide variety of elements: clinical electronic textures merge into droning spheres and further traverse into darker & more ominous territory. Likewise selected calmer sonic textures at the mid point of the composition seem to allude to field recordings being utilized as source material. This is before the sound pushes though to a dense industrial noise framework, to just as quickly cut back to an aspect of calm and relative quiet, with what sounds like treated samples of water lapping at a lakes edge.

In all its complexity “.C.” this is a varied & intense recording that accurately highlights the project’s technical knowledge and skill.

As a complimentary addition, the release comes with a bonus CD of remixes from 14 sound artists. With contributors spanning the globe and producing a diverse take on the sourse recordings, it forms pretty much a full release in its own right. Without reviewing each track in detail, the remix CD features some recognized names (Ultra Milkmaids, David Wells, Francisco Lopez), with the rest I have not come across previously (Omei, Needle & Sony Mao, Lasse Marhaug, Black Sand Desert, RGV, TV Pow, duul_drv, Andrew Duke, Kim Cascone, Critikal & Zanstones). As such the majority of the pieces are respectful of the source material, thus traversing drone/ experimental and/ or sound collage styles to create a fitting sister album.

RJS