2017 repress; originally released in 2009. Gatefold sleeve. Alva Noto's Xerrox Vol. 2 undertakes an intense journey and affords the luxury to take its time. While Xerrox Vol. 1 (R-N 078LP, 2007) referred to the old world, with its tradition deeply rooted in classical music, Xerrox Vol. 2 tries to access a new world. It works with samples that have been gathered and developed in the USA -- the so-called new world -- where the album was almost completely recorded.
The dramatic and dynamic approach of Xerrox Vol. 1 has been replaced by a structural density on Xerrox Vol. 2. Instead of working with individual musical entities, Vol. 2 instead develops a linear aesthetic that refers to musical strategies of film music. Hence there are no implicitly singular pieces, but open musical structures -- a journey without a predetermined target.
The first four tracks of Xerrox Vol. 2 actually condense into one track, using samples of Michael Nyman and Stephen O'Malley. They combine to form a sort of soundtrack before fading away in a swell of reverb feedback. "Xerrox Sora" is a rudimentary piece from Alva Noto's collaboration with Ryuichi Sakamoto, which originates from and was performed as an encore during the 2004 Insen tour (R-N 076DVD, 2006). Continuing with "Xerrox Monophaser 2," the album creates a dense and interweaved complexity that only gradually unfolds its depth. While "Xerrox Teion" dissolves in the process of copying into another sample rate, "Xerrox Teion Acat" again tends to re-condense its quality.
Xerrox Vol. 2 seems to be more playful than Xerrox Vol. 1; following the approach of a live set, it is not so much obligated to a theoretical concept. Therefore it intends to break a static framework before it gets too restricted. The 11 tracks of Xerrox Vol. 2 serve as documents of an immediately experienced time or as attempts to unfold in an endless space. In this sense, Xerrox Vol. 2 comes close to the idea of the Aleph-1 project (R-N 087LP), which tried to disappear rather than occupy an endless space. Mastered at Dubplates & Mastering.
B1 | Xerrox Phaser Acat 1 | 12:15 |
B2 | Xerrox Rin | 0:51 |
B3 | Xerrox Soma | 7:11 |
BB1 | Xerrox Meta Phaser | 6:23 |
BB2 | Xerrox Sora | 6:53 |
BBB1 | Xerrox Monophaser 1 | 8:05 |
BBB2 | Xerrox Monophaser 2 | 5:31 |
BBBB1 | Xerrox Teion | 2:03 |
BBBB2 | Xerrox Teion Acat | 5:26 |
BBBB3 | Xerrox Tek Part 1 | 5:28 |
BBBB4 | Xerrox Monophaser 3 | 6:23 |