The Art of Buzzing

Werner Durand loves his drones, particularly those of the buzzing variety. Citing the pervasiveness of buzzing drones in the music of many different cultures including Japan, Korea, India, and Ethiopia, Durand chooses as his buzz-conveyor a much more Western artifact: PVC tubing. Fitted with saxophone mouthpieces (despite being referred to by the composer as clarinets) and a membrane of plastic or tin foil attached to the open end, he succeeds in creating a sound somewhere between didgeridoos and low, Tibetan horns, perhaps with a mellower cast. He utilizes multi-tracking and loops to bring forth a rich, dense stew of tones. If one is not to simply bliss-out to the music, it's necessary to limn enough textural detail to keep the listener engaged, and Durand accomplishes this in excellent fashion. There is plenty of shift in the character of the drones, and the subtle rhythms that ebb and flow as the result of colliding desynchronized patterns are unexpected enough to keep one guessing. The Art of Buzzing nimbly sidesteps any new-agey pitfalls; indeed, the references to bees in several of the titles indicates that Durand's agenda is of a somewhat darker nature. Recommended for all drone lovers.