austere : fade
Austere appears to be a fairly prolific project, probably a result of a good deal of experimentation without too much concern with producing works of coherent ego. The result on Fade is four pieces that work on the listener in different ways.
"Swathe" and "Lid" are the kinds of pieces that can sound very different depending on your listening context. Asynchronous shifting sounds can be the source of a healthy dose of dissonance but can also smoothe out into less intrusive background music at low volume. "Tranque" is the most minimal track, very metallic and sparse. "Aire" is where Austere's stated indebtedness to religious music comes through the most, working toward invoking a state of awe.
Interesting listening all around, making me glad that there are people who will make sounds, burn them to a CD and let the rest of the world hear.
CD-R Edition (USA), 2000
1) Swathe
2) Lid
3) Tranque
4) Aire
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Convergence
Self-released CDR Edition (USA), 1998
Austere is a relative newcomer to the ambient scene, releasing his work via CD-R and MP3. Taking cues from Steve Reich and Arnold Schöenberg, Convergence is a minimalist exploration of the concept of the octave.
Consisting of eight distinct voices which shift in and out of phase with each other over the course of the disc's 48 minutes, Convergence relies heavily upon mathematical patterns which allow a limited sound palette to yield diverse and nuanced results.
Convergence's one long piece leads off with a repeated muffled ringing sound resembling that of someone playing a pipe organ deep inside a cave, far away. Slowly, the constituent parts of this sound start to appear and fall into their own distinctive patterns. A cold, distant feeling becomes the sole constant as the actual patterns shift and diverge, only to come together again at the end.
Convergence is a very intriguing and interesting work from an artist who has drawn from diverse influences and started to develop his own unique voice.
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Monodia
Self-released CDR Edition (USA), 1999
Monodia is the second release from Austere, who on this album turns away from the mathematical minimalism of his first album, Convergence, to produce a thematic work that he describes as "music for funerals."
The first track, "Tsouris," takes its cues from the dark ambient works of artists like Lustmord and Lull, with a thick, bass-heavy sound, plenty of metallic rumblings and slowly shifting, mystery-invoking pseudo-melodies. "Throe" and "Thanatos" introduce spacier, less dense sounds, including some ill-advised sci-fi effects, while "Tumulus" returns to the darkness with subterranean atmospheres and gong-like echoes. The final track, "Threnody," is more minimal and contemplative, with a slow series of vibrating tones gently lowering the album to a close.
Monodia, with its religious, funereal themes and intuitive musicality, is a sharp departure in approach from the calculated composition of Convergence, yet it is clear that the same artistic mind is behind both albums. Monodia makes it clear that there is both a unity and a diversity to Austere's musical vision.