Jos Smolders – Gaussian Transient (Megaphone)

Jos Smolders

CD – Nonvisualobjects
Coherent auditory elements, proliferation of individual sound ideas, field recordings, absences and frequencies, non-linearity, suspension and saturation, drones, ambience and conceptualism. These are just a few of the elements occurring in ‘Gaussian Transient’, a multifaceted work, that is not really very easy to enjoy. It is a work reluctant to completely unfold, but remains well-balanced in every aspect, even with its aleatory design, unclassifiable even with stringent interpretations. There are articulated sequences which seem almost familiar and passages that are emotionally very involved. We hear small sounds, voices, noises – then – consistent resonances, an essential feature of the piece, unfolding in non-preconceived forms that are sensitive and ever-changing. Jos Smolders, well known in the underground electronic scene as the former co-editor of Vital Magazine for six years, founder of the electroacoustic ensemble THU20″, now edits Earlabs, a web-magazine linked to its homonymous mp3 label. His commitment to music never stops: at these latitudes taste and perceptual skills simply improve, producing – as with this record – excellent results.