Motorlab 3 by Barry Adamson

Motorlab 3

$14.00
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Motorlab 3

A unique album by Barry Adamson (Bad Seeds/Magazine/film composer) and Pan Sonic (Finnish electronic artists) commissioned by Kitchen Motors to travel to Reykjavik and compose a piece for the Hljomeyki choir. A dark choral work bringing to mind Adamson's film scores blend seamlessly with Pan Sonic's deep pulsing, brooding electronics. The work truly comes to life under the re-editing skills of the Hafler Trio which shifts from drifting cinematic ambience through to cut up static rhythmic bursts. Digipak. 2001.

Reader Reviews
Motorlab #3 is the fruitful collaboration between Barry Adamson and Pan Sonic. I'm approaching this as a Pan Sonic fan, so I'll be primarily addressing those with similar perspectives. I'm not all that familiar with Adamson, so I will reserve those judgments for others more qualified. I will say, however, that based on this recording, I plan to check his stuff out soon. This CD is basically the 12-minute "Hymn of the 7th Illusion" plus an extended remix by The Hafler Trio (aka Andrew Mackinzey). I frequently hear electro/acoustic music where the blend is more like oil and water than a cohesive whole. Fortunately, that is not the case here. Doubtlessly, most of us are well acquainted with the harsher side of Pan Sonic, but this collaboration finds the Finnish duo at their most subtle. The Hljomeyki choir is the focal point of the work, while Pan Sonic provide subtle, but effective rhythm and bass. The entire project really works well together. Adamson's vocal writing is reminiscent of Zbigniew Preisner who did the soundtracks to many Kieslowski films including "the Double Life of Veronique." Beautiful, clear voices, unencumbered with vibrato create an otherworldly state of bliss, while electronics provide futuristic rhythmic texture. Yes, it's basically a 12 minute piece for an inflated "import" price, but I really think it's worth it. It's the sort of thing one can listen to on repeat over and over again. The second track is virtually silence and judging by its lack of title, I'm guessing it serves to space the original composition from the remix by a bit more than the traditional 2-5 seconds between tracks. It gives the listener's ears a chance to rest before beginning the marathon 22-minute Hafler Trio remix. As a long-time fan of the Hafler Trio, I thoroughly enjoyed the remix, although at times one gets the sense that it's as much a new piece as it is a reworking of the former. As with most "remixes", I still prefer the original, but it's worth listening to in its entirety. I know there are some negative reviews up, but I think they have more to do with the disappointment of duration-per-dollar. The way I see it, I'd rather have 12 minutes of Pan Sonic than 50 minutes of Britney Spears for the same price. If you feel similarly, you'll enjoy this immensely. If you're skeptical, I'd recommend trying to find a sample somewhere. I think once you give it a chance, you'll dig it. Comment | Permalink | function showYesNoCommunityResponse(uId,result,value) { var msgLayer = getElement("thanks" + uId); if ( result == "SUCCESS" ) { msgLayer.innerHTML = "Thanks for the valuable feedback you provided to other Amazon.com readers and reviewers. Your vote will be counted and will appear on the product page within 24 hours."; } else { showVoteErrorResponse(msgLayer,result,value); } } (Report this)

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