Radere – Sloth Period
12.2.16 by J Moss

radere

“Sloth Period,” by Denver, Colorado based artist Radere (AKA Carl Ritger), is one of a duo of new releases of his on the Full Spectrum label. It’s partner, “I Can’t Sleep, I Can’t Wake Up”, was released as an LP. “Sloth Period” consists of two long form ambient drones, one on each side, composed using modular synths and guitar.

The music is amorphous. Unlike many drones, which seem to have a directional build up in intensity, volume, and sonic pressure, the variations in “Sloth Period” and the B-side composition “Tend the Engine” are periodical, undulating like the back of a lake dwelling cryptid. Tones and musical ideas come and go out of the spotlight on a bare, spacious stage of fuzzy synth drone and atmospheric swirl. Modular clicks and grinds, shimmering bursts, bell-like tones and faint echoing guitars like the most long forgotten dub sample in the universe make themselves heard and then descend once again into the general milieu. The sounds alternate between spectral distance and, more rarely, an otherworldly vitality. This is definitely one of the mistiest, most meditative drone/noise tapes I’ve had the pleasure of sampling. If you could see this music, it would be rounded, soft, and kind of shiny. The surreal, Salvador Dali-esque artwork on this tape, depicting a silvery ball bearing moon rising over a handful of green sludge in muted soft focus shades, captures the mood and feel of the music visually, as does the silver tape shell decorated with bubbles that recall the reverb-dulled edges of the tones. When played back to back with “I Can’t Sleep I Can’t Wake Up”, which is comparatively busier, sharper at the corners, and imbued with more tension, the pair makes for a compelling listen with vast emotional range. The experience can be altered by switching up the order of the listen, allowing “Sloth Period” to function as either a prelude or a comedown. Recommended for patient lovers of pure ambient music.

Grab it from Full Spectrum.