The Persistence Of Time And Memory
Neuma, 2023
8/10
Listen to The Persistence Of Time And Memory
An electro-acoustic listen that examines the perception of time and its relation to direction, memory and art, Jon Christopher Nelson’s vision unfolds with much attention to detail on his first solo work in 40+ years.
The 6 chapters of the title track opens the listen, where the found objects appeal of the sounds of “And Time Unfolds Like A Flower” are both warm and mysterious, and “Tightly Wound” follows with 7+ minutes of minimalistic ideas that rely heavily on computer noises for the chilling climate that touches on sci-fi gestures.
Further along, the spacey buzzing of the cinematic “Ripples In The Fabric Of Space-Time” might fall under astronaut-rock, while “The Entropy Of Memory” drones with a distinct ambience of sonic beauty that’s also capable of firm, jagged bouts.
The listen exits with “When Left To His Own Devices”, where a shuffling of synthetic noises and mechanical aberrations are quite mesmerizing.
An abstractly atypical body of work, Nelson’s textures and fluctuations in pitch have us hanging on every unconventional pattern.
Travels well with: Composing Israel; Evan Ware- The Quietest Of Whispers