Markus Mehr
On
Hidden Shoal Recordings

On is the second of Mehr's 'triptych releases' cycle. This ambitious trilogy started with In earlier this year, and will be concluded with Off next January. It'll be a year with Mehr. In, on and off we go.

Markus Mehr creates hypnotic experimental ambient music. Musical compositions that come in waves; swirling, twisting and turning quite slowly. Often pleasing, but also with noise parts that tickle and pricks tour skin and ears. Here are layers of sound, and a sonic web is binding and building. Sometimes it's like a slo-motion maelstrom. Or a monsoon. With its moist and dry phases. All the way through it's an album with a glow and a nerve. Mehr's a man with a mission, and it's hard to be bored in his company, even though he flirts with repetition and monotony. On holds 8 tracks, samples, field recordings, sonic escapades, and dizzying drones.

Opener "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" is a rhythmic feast, and a noisemaking teaser. Single choice "Flaming Youth" is a true sweet hypnotizer. The 9-minute-long "Duck Became Swan" is a centre-piece and a key track, sort of sounding like a soundtrack (imagine moving images) to some ugly duckling turning into a swan beauty, while "Monks On The Beach" actually sounds like... monks on a beach. The closing "Tunnels" is another 9 minute-plus piece of spellbinding music. Like going though underwater tunnels, or caves. Some midway through the big waves come smashing, threatening you, but in the end there's only the mild sea breeze. Bliss and brilliance.

On is quite a turn-on, and you'd better turn it on. Now it's just time to sit back and wait for Off for the complete works.

On will be officially released on July 17th, but was digital available from June 21st.

Copyright © 2012 Håvard Oppøyen