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from Ampersand Etcetera 2002_13 (9.9.2002) written by Jeremy Keens
http://ampersandetc.virtualave.net/ampersand.html & jeremy@pretentious.net
Ben Swire - Equilibrium
Foundry EP Series - FOU.17
The first in Foundry's ep series, designed to access both the focussed composition that the time limit of an ep requires, plus the reduced cost to the punter. And Swire has produced an very nice piece.
'Interim' opens with swelling tones that have a Foundry feel to them, adding a slow throb, ratchet-clicks and an undercurrent of voices. A slow stately melody wafts over the rhythm, with bursts of loose cable static-crackle, building through progression, drops and returns with a faster rhythm to the end. The layer of voiced hub-bub adds a dimension to the piece. There is more rhythmic development in 'Departure' as slow and faster rhythms are layered with long tones and a stuttering melody, quite lush with little additions like tapping, running patter and voice tones pulling back to the fade.
A spanish classical string tone seems to pervade the opening of 'Knot', with a slow drum and a fast D'n'B-ish complex fast tic-tush, and then more layers of rhythm, and then a woobly tone that gives it an almost western tone. Finally 'Score' is a darker piece, a breath-scrape, ratatat and accordion tones that are joined by a low synth and some taps. A slow melody and more are added as it grows before thinning back down to the fade, voice-tones supporting on the way.
Just over 17 minutes and its over a short but enjoyable experience that fits well within the Foundry mood and indicates that this will be a series to follow.