From Aural Innovations #37 (Sep 2007)
Area C is the duo of Erik Carlson and Jeff Knoch. Together they weave a mesmerizing
and hypnotic sonic tapestry of drones, live loops, and atmospherics. Primarily
utilizing two vintage Farfisa organs to create their sound, they augment it
with delayed guitar, an analog drum machine, and static from tube amplifiers.
The result sounds like something that should have been recorded decades ago
but never was, because in sound it is vintage, in execution it is thoroughly
modern, perhaps ever futuristic, like a reincarnation of Terry Riley in some
distant future civilization as he discovers his past selves. The music throbs
and spirals through five distinct pieces, from the meditative drones of Outside
the Flaming Body to the shredded noise sculptures of the title track to the
pulsing, kaleidoscopic dream of Star Names. The brief Names of Places then leads
into the final track, the 20-minute long Circle Attractor, which blends a slow,
druggy sequence of multiple Farfisas with subtle field recordings before it
shifts into a swirling, lengthy drone piece that sounds like it’s playing
on an ancient gramophone, with slow and gentle guitar tones sailing through
it towards a sepia toned photograph of some long forgotten sunset. Close your
eyes and lose yourself in this music and it will surely Haunt you for years
to come.
For more information on Area C, visit: http://www.areacmusic.com
Visit Last Visible Dog Records at: http://www.lastvisibledog.com
Reviewed by Jeff Fitzgerald