MIST - House

Spectrum Spools is a sub-label of Editions Mego, run by‭ ‬John‭ ‬Elliott‭ ‬of‭ ‬Emeralds.‭ Launched at the start of the new year, the label has already announced half a dozen albums: “House” by Mist is the fourth in the series, a double LP housed in an elegant gatefold sleeve (all Spectrum Spools releases are strictly on vinyl and download, but – for now – not on CD).

It's no surprise that the titles in the catalogue are in tune with the synthetic, visionary aesthetic of Elliott's group and Mark McGuire.‭ More than the first release, a reissue of a‬ Chris Madak cassette, aka‭ Bee Mask, “Canzoni dal Laboratorio del Silenzio Cosmico‭”, it was the second release that really hit the mark: ‭”‬A Sort Of Romance‭” ‬by Matthew Mullane,‭ ‬aka Fabric,‭ ‬picks up some of the ideas developed on the wonderful‭ “‬Does it Look Like I’m Here?‭” by Emeralds themselves‬.‭ ‬Like the idea of condensing the endless cosmic-courier excursions into tracks just a few minutes long.

Tuned to the same frequencies but even richer in evocative power is the second work by Mist, the project John Elliott shares with his friend Sam‭ ‬Goldberg.‭ ‬The‭ ‬duo‭ ‬released‭ ‬a‭ ‬self-titled‭ ‬debut‭ ‬LP‭ ‬in‭ ‬2009,‭ ‬followed‭ ‬the‭ ‬year‭ ‬after‭ ‬by‭ ‬a‭ ‬twelve‭ ‬inch, ‭”‬Glowing Net‭”‬.‭ Works that are already almost impossible to find today, lost in the mare magnum of America's underground micro-labels.

‎”‏House‭” could be the record that finally earns Mist their due recognition: partly because it's being released by one of the most active labels in the world of experimental music; partly because Emeralds are, in 2011, a name to watch on the map of borderline music; but mostly because not since the first masterpieces of Radio Massacre International have we heard a synth-music record this gripping, able to enchant the neurons for its entire duration.‎

“‏House‭” opens on the‬ incandescent‭ melodic‬ explosions‭ of “‬Twin‭ ‬Lanes‭”; then continues with‬ imposing‭ ‬robotic‭ ‬progressions‭ ‬lashed‭ ‬by‭ ‬icy‭ ‬cosmic‭ ‬winds‭ (“‬I‭ ‬Can‭ ‬Still‭ ‬Hear‭ ‬Your‭ ‬Voice‭”); ‬intoxicating‭ ‬bursts‭ ‬of‭ ‬sunlight‭ (“‬Mist‭ ‬House‭”); ‬and‭ ‬wonderful‭ ‬northern‭ ‬lights‭ (“‬Daydream‭”); before closing on the ripples of “P.M.”, the ideal soundtrack for the settings of Philip K. Dick's novels. All of it delivered using only Moog, Prophet, Korg and other analogue synthesizers. Sixty minutes of stellar music.

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01/06/2011