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  Radiophonics Revisted!!! June 16, 2007
Written by LouieB
1995’s "Radiophonics" is only one of the many volumes in guitarist Robert Fripp’s ongoing ’Soundscapes’ releases. Recorded live in Buenos Aires, Argentina, "Radiophonics" finds Fripp stretching his soundscapes into lengthy dissonant explorations which are sometimes beautiful, sometimes frightening but always musically intriuging.
A good majority of this album is quite difficult to listen as it consists mostly of dissonant chord clusters and moments of almost psychedelic effects with sounds that pan rapidly between the speakers. However, when listened to with a different set of ears and an open mindset, "Radiophonics" can turn into an amazing journey of otherworldly sounds.
The opening two "Radiophonic" pieces are similar to each other and consist of random scales coupled with low rumbling tones. The final minutes of the second "Radiophonic" piece are a wild excursion into weirdness with use of rapid panning. The panning effect is most effective when heard on headphones.
The remainder of the disc consists of the half-hour long "Buenos Aires Suite" which consists of four movements. "Atmosphere" once again provides an unsettling mood and tension with its dark chords and dissonant note runs. The mood settles into brief calmness with the second movement "Elegy" which is similar to the peacefulness captured on Fripp’s "Blessing of Tears" disc. The weirdness returns with "Streets" which is another showcase of wild stereo panning used to greater effect here than on "Radiophonic II". The peacefulness returns with the closing movement "Sky" which ends the album on an airy lighthearted note.
Granted, the "Radiophonics" CD won’t be for everybody. Out of all the Soundscapes CD’s Robert Fripp has released so far, "Radiophonics" is probably the most experimental and harsh of them all. Aside from this, it is still a powerful album that shows off Fripp’s relentless gift for musical exploration. Because of this, "Radiophonics" definitely gets five stars. Thanks again to DGMLive for bringing this one-of-a-kind classic back.
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Your search found 8 items (Viewing 1 to 8 of 8)
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Radiophonics Revisted!!! Sat., Jun 16, 2007
Posted by: LouieB
1995’s "Radiophonics" is only one of the many volumes in guitarist Robert Fripp’s ongoing ’Soundscapes’ releases. Recorded live in Buenos Aires, Argentina, "Radiophonics" finds Fripp stretching his soundscapes into lengthy dissonant explorations which are sometimes beautiful, sometimes frightening but always Read more
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Impressions Fri., Jun 15, 2007
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I was lucky enough to attend one of the performances at Goethe Institute. I remember two things vividly from that day: first, flu was distroying me, and I was so horrified with the perspective of sneezing or Read more
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Astonishing Fri., Jun 15, 2007
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It´s not easy to like it Fri., Jun 15, 2007
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When I first heard the CD I thought my speakers were ruined. I could not believe what I heard. You don´t hear a guitar. It´s all sound. Strings, Synthsounds, cars the noises of a town all mixed Read more
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Massive! Like a Thunderstorm Fri., Jun 15, 2007
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Late Night Soundtrack Fri., Jun 15, 2007
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