Although often associated with deep bass sounds, the A side of this brown 10″ focuses more on the mid-range with a buzzing high-tension drone. Â It is the sort of sound that you would associate with being inside of a electrical power line transformer. Â Certainly the “Radiant” part of the title fits with the sounds in this track. Â The second side lets some sparks fly, but more intermittently and above repeated notes played on the low end of the piano, as well as a subtle mid-range drone. Â It is a contrast to the first side as it offers a pulse and stays away from creating a static field. Â Both are supposed to fit into the concept of the Substantia Innominata series of 10″ records, of which this is the first installment. Â The concept is stated as embracing “the prospect of infinite possibilities for artists to create music about the intangible such as: the unnameable, the unspeakable, the unthinkable, the unidentifiable, etc.” Â Given the history of Drone Records, I would say that this statement could probably just as well apply to a lot of their earlier 7″ releases. Â Likewise, clocking it at around 9 minutes per side, it about the same duration as some of those 7″ entries. Â But maybe letting the grooves expand over a large surface is better for the fidelity in the end as 9 minute sides seemed to be pushing the limits for 7″ records. Â As for the packaging, it is a nice match of matte brown paper and brown vinyl with streaks of green, black and possibly white. Â The cover art comes courtesy of Robert Schalinski of Column One and evokes the collage work of his countryman Max Ernst. Â Pressed in an edition of 500 copies, “Radiant Blood” has hung around in print longer than the smaller runs of the earlier 7″s – a format that Drone Records has now put to bed after 100 titles. Â This 10″ series, now up to 17 releases, as well as a new series of four-way-split LPs look to be the way forward that Stefan Knappe wants to pursue.
Drone Records – SUB-01