ARTIST:
> Sauhu
ALBUM:
> Sisällyksetön
GENRE:
> Minimalistic Drone
PUBLISHER:
> Witte Dood Records
YEAR:
> 2009
FORMAT:
> 3" CDR
TOTAL PLAYTIME:
> 22:10
[01]Sisällyksetön
AUTHOR:
> M
The debut release by one-man-band Sauhu (which means smoke) is titled "Sisällyksetön", which means something hollow or empty, something with no content - and if you don't listen to this release with a headset and with a high volume, "nothing" is pretty close to what you'll hear.
While listening to the EP with a headset, however, you will hear a constant, vast, damp, and really low-pitch drone - and I mean really low, even ridiculously so. Even though it at first seems like the drone doesn't change or progress at all, it is actually constantly going through some really minor changes in it's pace, rhythm and even volume through it's slow, pulsating progress. Back in the mix there's occasionally some light and soft beats, or more accurately some bops, that fit well together with the drone, and make the outcome more interesting as they vary nicely and don't seem to follow any pattern or formula.
It's really amazing how a twenty-minute soundscape built of so limited and bare elements can be so interesting. After listening to the EP for a couple of times you start to really get into the music, and you'll start noticing more stuff happening within the soundscape. The really small changes make the soundscape even surprisingly addicting, and I find the release to be really enjoyable despite it's bare nature. The points go to the artist for making such a daring project, and succeeding in executing it.
I know that Sauhu has the dedication and the talent to make an even more interesting soundscape, even with such a limited array of sounds. The soundscape could still be a little more hypnotic and addicting, and I want to see what Sauhu is capable of. Also, in the future he could focus more on the visual side (I know, the options for that on Witte Dood are limited, thus I will not note this in the grading). Maybe he could even execute a certain theme on a release? I'm also curious to see how he will create the variation between his works.