Furthering a collaboration started in 2003, the German/American pair initiates selected audiences to aural rites in which morphing silhouettes with impulsive contours ooze glowing liquids made of impassable resonances, immediately vanishing traits, ghosts of chords and acoustic mirages. The legitimacy of the underlying conception is confirmed in two compact discs through which a fluid geometry of sorts is formulated: cold as ice in one moment, extremely clement an instant later. Both masters of sound disposition in a given context, Tietchens and Chartier use frequencies like luminescent clay. They place nearly inaudible yet distinct particles or barely assumed emissions next to remote booming lows that at various times caused a couple of objects in my room to clatter (see, I’m not listening to this kind of audio art at low volume while updating a Facebook profile as professionals do prior to nonchalantly stuffing a “review” with modern literature quotes in absence of a genuine idea of how the record sounds). The resultant music is characterized by a scarcely tangible physical quality, as if the breathing and heartbeat’s mechanics were subjected to weakening alterations. Apart from a few moments in which the abrupt emergence of a particular event might startle a bit, Fabrication 2 is informed by a soothing temperament that, despite an apparent impenetrability, makes us presume the unexpected as a regular occurrence. A quietly enigmatic release needing absorption, unconditional silence and many tries. And once you have done that, additional questions and doubts will be waiting.
—touchingextremes
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Back to basics. Tietchens variiert hier auf CD 2 nicht – wie bei Fabrication (2007) – Chartier’s PostFabricated (1999), sondern greift zurück auf das Material von “Prefabrication 2”, das auf CD 1 dieses Doppel-Sets zu hören ist und als ‚an unusual improvisational piece by Chartier bezeichnet wird. Aber egal. Bei Chartier dringt das gedampfteste Ugga-chaka, das ich je hörte, an mein Ohr. Nach 6 Min. geht es über in ein motorisches Schnurren usw. Wie fernes Grillengezirpe mit Schwingungen und allerfeinsten pointillistischen Einsprengseln. Mikrosound, auf Schleichwegen unterwegs in der stillen Stunde zwischen 3 und 4. Cy-Twombly-Gespinste, kombiniert mit konkreten Automatismen, hellen Pings usw., darunter kurz auch unvermutet knurrig repetierte Impulse, hauptsächlich aber fein tickende und ganz fein schimmernde. Der verlangsamte Pulsschlag zuletzt könnte auch der eigene sein. Unser zweifacher Karl-Sczuka-Preisträger fertigte aus all dem 8 pointierte Bearbeitungen. Der Tietchens-Touch zeigt sich in glucksenden, sirrenden, ‘hohlen’, wie ‘submarinen’ Anmutungen. Da ich Abstraktion für anthropologischen Nonsense halte, nehme ich mir die Freiheit, mit meinem gelben U-Boot durch eine unterseeische Phantasielandschaft zu tagtraumschippern. Mein imaginäres Bullauge zeigt mir Leuchtspuren im Ultramarin, brodelnde Luftbläschen, die zum Dach der Drohnglocke aufsteigen. Ich hore Farben, Töne schimmern als Formen, wie das Auge sie selten erblickt. Es genügt ein markantes Click! im tiefenberauschten ‘2.6’, um das Herz hoher schlagen zu lassen. ‘2.7’ ist dann schon die Halluzination einer gezupften Melodie, mit Meerjungfrauengesang, so dass bei ‘2.8’ die Armaturen ins Leere ticken, weil der Taucher sich in feuchten Armen wähnt.
—badalchemy.de
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The first collaborative result between Richard Chartier and Asmus Tietchens was called ‘Fabrication’ and released together with the rough sound material on a bonus CD. Apparently that was a way of working which both artists like, so its now continued on ‘Fabrication 2’. The first ‘Fabrication’ was an exchange, back and forth, of sound material between the two, on this new one things are a bit different. One disc is the rough sound material composed by Chartier and on the second we find the reworks as carried out by Tietchens based on the Chartier piece. That piece, lasting thirty-nine minutes, is an odd one by Chartier. It is called ‘an unusual improvisation’ by him, and perhaps its so indeed. It has that, perhaps by now, ‘classic’ Chartier approach in sound: low, minimalist, drone like, with a minimum of clicks but its all indeed a bit more roughly put together, like more by accident than design. That adds a rather nice perspective to the piece and with those odd changes also perhaps the right source material for Tietchens. He knows his ways with material like this, and created eight different treatments of the material in a classic Tietchens manner. Classic by now, as it continues the sort of interest Tietchens developed in the 21st century, his ‘Menge’ series. Very sparse electronics, with an emphasis on drone like sounds and treatments in some click like sound. Simply great music, but perhaps I’m not the most objective person about Asmus Tietchens. I don’t think I ever heard a bad thing from him. ‘Fabrication 2’ is a damn fine work among other damn fine works, and nothing that leaps out of that catalogue, but ranks with the best.
—Vital Weekly, NL
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This is the sequel to 2007’s Fabrication release and is a two disc set. The first disc ‘Prefabrication 2’ is a single 39min piece and comprises the basic sound material which is improvised and entirely the work of Chartier. The second disc is the audio reworked by old german hand and renowned sound artist Tietchens. This is basically minimalist digital microsound stuff with subtle rhythms and a focus on the dynamics and spatial nature of sound. As with much microsound gear it feels extremely focused with some unusual areas in the frequency spectrum being exploited. Both discs represent high quality reductionist sound art from two of the genres main players. Sipping a glass of Rioja I’m thoroughly enjoying this on my headphones although I think high volume playback may yield the best results. A fine set indeed.
—Norman Records, UK
