Nick
Forté
"Pasted Lakes" LP
Schematic
Music Company
Genres: experimental electronic, sound collage
Schematic
376 NE 56th St.
Miami FL 33137
Sep 8 - 14 2003 |
Brooklyn's
Nick Forté is one half of Christmas Decorations, whose Model
91 was a minor success for Kranky Records late last year. Pasted
Lakes is Forté's first solo album, a scrap yard of
cut-and-paste re-assemblage based largely on his previous experiments
with computer music and apparently influenced by the fast-paced
structure and attitude of old Wire and Minutemen
records. As such, it will be no surprise to you to learn that Pasted
Lakes' 15 tracks go by in only 33 minutes. It's electronic
music, punk-style, cramming in as much as possible into limited
space. As a result, Forté's compositions are often
cluttered and suffocating, but never boring or tiresome.
Corrupted melody, beats, and ambiance are cut and pasted and
disintegrated to create short, messy tracks of sonic carnage that
range from noisy and unmelodic to subdued and accessible. Rhythm
is always sustained, often subtly, and this helps the compositions
remain interesting. Various tweaks and nuances add to the
complexity of the sound, while Forté's eye for melody is only
occasionally tapped. This is experimental electronic music that
dares to experiment.
Standout tracks include opener "Green Language," which
boasts a pseudo-funk mess collage sound not far off from a more
avant-garde Hexstatic, and the terrific "Thistle
Rue," which is a beautifully melodic, laidback piece. Many
other tracks, including, most notably, "Sugar Lemoned" and
"Kill Your Carpet," are also very successful.
Nick Forté's Pasted Lakes is one of the most
inventive and memorable albums of the year. Buy it and prepare
to be blown away.
89%
Matt Shimmer
[Vitals: 15 tracks, distributed by Forced
Exposure, released 2003] |