Wozzeck – 6
10.28.15 by Scott Scholz

Wozzeck, a Russian composition/improvisation project based in St. Petersburg, has been one of the most unpredictable weirdo bands of the last several years. While appearing on a number of splits and compilations with noise/contemporary-classical bands and solo artists, their “proper” albums have all followed a numerical naming convention: “Act 1,” “Act 2,” and so on. The early “Acts” focused on gritty improv jams or guided improvisations, blending skronky jazz and metal outbursts into paroxysms of tension not far removed from John Zorn’s Painkiller or Naked City projects.

But founding members Ilia Belorukov and Mikhail Ershov are music-on-paper cats, too. Starting with “Act 5,” Belorukov began composing formally for Wozzeck, which resulted in an immense 5-section, 200-minute behemoth that was released on DVD to accommodate its sheer size. On that album, each movement lasts precisely 40 minutes, carefully proceeding through a series of very gradual micro-changes that evoke minimalism sonically and maximalism through the sheer forces of endurance and concentration needed to play them.

Wozzeck’s new tape, simply called “6” this time around, further refines the minimal/maximal impulses of “Act 5,” this time deploying very mellow timbres that nudge the music toward a meditative/trance-inducing vibe. “6” is divided into six sections of 15 minutes each, perfect for circling the globe on a simple C90.

The concept here is fairly straightforward: the piece runs through a set of rhythmic figures played with a single pitch at a time. Starting on G, each section slowly speeds up across the A-side, and every 15 minutes, the single pitch used is raised a half-step. On the B-side, the opposite unfolds, gradually slowing down and descending chromatically back to the starting point. The sonic effect is more complex: with soft, unobtrusive bass punches, carefully restrained drum work, and delicate piano tones, the first impression is a very gentle piece, perfect for zoning out. But this is no drone: with no dynamic shifts or pitch changes to follow, your focus will eventually settle on the pointillistic rhythmic architecture of the piece. On that level, it feels oddly insistent, like being poked in the same spot zillions of times.

You may find it relaxing, boring, annoying, or transcendent–and you may find it to be all of those at once, depending on your mood–but you’d better find it quick. This one’s available in a tiny edition of 25 on Russia’s spina!rec. Like the other fine noise, post-rock and avant-classical jams on this rad little label, “6” is packaged in an o-card and tape-sized ziploc baggie.