Release information
Limited edition CD (200 copies) + download
Released on Moving Furniture Records (MFR066) on October 19, 2018
“The common matter of all things is the Great Mystery, which no certain essence and prefigured or formed idea could comprehend, nor could it comply with any property, it being altogether void of color and elementary nature.” Michael Griffin – The Human Alchemy
Alchemy, the art of creation by combination, proceeds in accordance with the experiences of the alchemist, who may explain the obscure by means of the more obscure – ‘obscurum per obscurius’. Explaining the riddles of matter involved the projection of yet another mystery, namely the alchemist’s own gaze and approach, into what was to be explained. Today, alchemy is commonly understood as a premature stage of chemistry, which is seen as superior due to its commitment to scientific rationality and objectivity.
The tracks on this album were composed over an extended period of time through a laborious and intensive practice, in which moments of creative inspiration and creation, fraught with possibility, have ultimately become obscured in the final work presented here. This is nothing to lament, for any act of creation ultimately actualizes a multitude of possibilities in some particular form. The alchemist accepts and embraces this fact, whilst allowing this multitude, the realm of the obscure, to continue to resonate in the ongoing act of creation.
Reviews
“Obscurum per obscurius hält abtsrakte Klangwolken parat, die sich in dronigen Schlieren am Horizont bewegen. In den meist dunkel-kreiselnden Sounds bewegen sich flirrende Obertöne und kristalline Knisterlaute, die an das Klacken von Kieseln in einer Bucht erinnern mögen. Hektische Bewegungen haben hier keinen Platz, die musikalische Grundidee ist der große Bogen.” Auf Abwegen Magazin.
“Sometimes, a subtle rhythm seems to emerge from the depth: in Untitled 3 I can’t help to hear a pulse that sounds like an offbeat reggae rhythm guitar. But this is an exception (and hardly anything you will want to dance to): most of the material presents otherwordly gazes into deep alien sounds, found by Matthijs Kouw trying to explain ‘the riddles of matter involved the projection of yet another mystery, namely the alchemist’s own gaze and approach, into what was to be explained’.” ambientblog.net.
“Moving Furniture excels at curating work by new or relatively unknown artists. In this current batch of releases, that artist is Matthijs Kouw from Utrecht. His evocative “Obscurum Per Obscurius” album is a good representative of the Moving Furniture sound and an ideal entry-point for anyone wanting to begin investigating the label. It contains nine untitled compositions of darkly elegant electronic drone music, each one charting a singular path of focused burbling intensity for several minutes, just enough time for a small number of sounds to establish themselves, turn in place or shift gradually sideways, and then move on to the next idea. Throughout, there is a veneer of edge-of-feedback howl lurking behind these rounded hums, imparting a subtly threatening edge to music that might otherwise have sunk into the background.” Vital Weekly 1153.
“Over ambient gesproken, het album Obscurum per obscurius van Matthijs Kouw, zijn solodebuut voor het Moving Furniture-label, is zoals ik ambient wil hebben: verkwikkend maar toch precies en scherp. Geen overbodige wooziness. De drone-achtige klanken op bijvoorbeeld het tweede nummer worden afgezet tegen een achtergrond van hoge tonen en kwaakachtige geluidjes in het kreupelhout van de “song”. Een onopvallend verschijnende en nooit op de voorgrond tredende subtiele puls geeft een lichte cadans eraan. De gelaagdheid van de sound is fenomenaal. De micrologische precisie is weldadig op een gezonde manier.” (Botho) Straussian, ‘de 25+ van 2018, deel 11: nr 15’.
“Drones worden nog wel eens verward met monotone geluiden waar geen reet gebeurt, maar met die gedachte kom je hier van een kouwe kermis thuis. Kouw laat als geen ander horen hoe spannend en gevarieerd dronemuziek kan zijn. Hij dikt zijn subtiel van karakter veranderende drones met glitches en veldopnames en die weten je moeiteloos in de houdgreep te nemen. De 9 composities die hij hier tentoonspreidt zijn van een intrigerende schoonheid. Onbekend maakt bepaald niet onbemind.” De Subjectivisten, Het schaduwkabinet: week 47 – 2018.
Credits
All music by Matthijs Kouw
Mastering by Stephan Mathieu
Artwork by Aldje van Meer