Holzkopf

Holzkopf is Jake Hardy, a Saskatoon, SK, native. That a minimal techno/digital noise scene probably doesn't exist in Saskatchewan makes little difference in this age of MP3 and CD-R releases - you can be a player no matter where you're based. Holzkopf's first "official" release builds on the bedrock of ambient work, in the vein of early Mouse on Mars and Aphex Twin, or the current German Microhouse phenomena. Eventually the placid surface of the sound becomes ruptured by digital distortions and arrhythmic outbursts, only to suddenly collapse into silence and repair the damage done. Hardy manages to make the jumps from ambience to noise organics and maintain a musicality and appeal many others in this field sacrifice. In its most abstract and aggressive moments the sound retains layers of coherence and colour that reach out from boundaries of pure noise. Only the track "Kejime," which relies on a hip-hop-styled drum break, stands out of place in the mix. Otherwise, this is a rewarding listen for fans of minimal electronic/noise music of all types and a stylish release for the artist and label.