CD – Museu Serralves

The accuracy, the dark charm and the structural organization of the sounds of Marc Behrens are immediately recognizable in Irregular Characters from the first moments of listening. The work stands out for its absolute quality and musical coherence and comes packaged in an impressive heavy box made from opaque dark brown cardboard with silver text etched on the sides. The CD functions as proof of a live show performed at the Serralves Museum in Porto, on November 5th 2010, an event that also included sound materials made by Yasunao Tone. The selection of the content collected minutely describes Behrens research and audio captures throughout his travels in the most remote corners of the planet. No ring of this exciting and conceptual chain appears weak, including the very effective “scenic writing”, which is full of reminiscences and suggestions. Different elements have come together to create this narration, beginning with the definition of the sounds and the audio space. Also present are field recordings, digital elaborations, drones and multisided overlapping. Behrens weaves together multiple levels of texture that feel both cerebral and physical, and he certainly doesn’t look down on electroacoustic attitudes, insisting resonances and dilated scores. Aurelio Cianciotta

Marc Behrens – Irregular Characters