Sound artist
Yann Novak's second Touch release is one of his best works, and maybe his most accessible. Instead of a single drone spread out over the course of an hour, like many of his recordings, this one contains four pieces, each around ten minutes, although they all flow together and share common elements. There's lots of brittle crackling, and a surprising amount of bass distortion for a drone album of this type. There's also the presence of bird song and other natural sounds. Nothing is rushed or immediate, and everything unfolds slowly, but there is a crushed, spaced-out melodic sensibility to it. It ends up being comforting and immersive rather than cold and alienating. True to its title, it also serves as a look back into
Novak's past, employing techniques he used on earlier works, but within an entirely new context. Stunning work.