Exploding the distinction between minimalism and maximalism in a thick miasma of drone and manipulated found sound
Room 40
Released: 17.02.17
www.lawrenceenglish.bandcamp.com/
On his first new album of solo material in three years, multi-media artist and composer Lawrence English explodes the distinction between minimalism and maximalism in a thick miasma of drone and manipulated found sound. Cruel Optimism builds on the vast, crushing soundscapes of its predecessor Wilderness of Mirrors, with pieces such as Hammering A Screw alternating between weightlessness and grand physical might in a vertiginous manner.
With contributions from musicians including Mats Gustafsson, Thor Harris and Norman Westerberg, there’s a harmonic ambition and vibrant attack to English’s work here that sets it apart from most other drone artists. As the soundtrack for a world that seems increasingly out of control and removed from expectation, Cruel Optimism is a grand achievement.
