VURT Cycle
New Focus, 2020
8/10
A composer from Brooklyn with an interest in sci-fi, Alexander Sigman found inspiration in a Jeff Noon’s novel for this highly adventurous effort that hosts the Discord Workshop, Ensemble Phorminx, and Ensemble Modelo62, among others.
“VURTRUVURT” starts the listen with 10 minutes of violin from Hajnal Pivnick, as Sigman manipulates live electronics on the live recording from 2016 that strategically allows the electronic sounds to emanate from the violin, and “atrocity exhibition” follows with direct nods to Joy Division. Just as dark as a Joy Division tune, there’s electronic ideas in the form of violin, guitar and bass, as well as sonic moments constructed from field recordings, and even urban noises like car horns populating the trance like formula.
Halfway through, “down the bottle”, with Matteo Cesari on bass flute, finds itself in a very unique spot as Sigman replicates the sounds of glass shards on glass pane as the flute quivers, while “le jardin des supplices” recruits bass flute, violin and cello against Sigman’s precise layering techniques.
The final track, “diXsf”, then brings in a 9 member chamber, where strings are used sparingly but effectively, while the clarinet is often ominous as distortion and pitch are turned into a refined science.
A leader in the area of instrumental, electroacoustic and interdisciplinary works, VURT Cycle is another exciting and unclassifiable exercise from Sigman that’s of the highest caliber and one that you’ll be thankful you spent time with.
Travels well with: Selfless Orchestra- Great Barrier; Laguerre/Noetinger- DnT