Title: Vessels
Artist: Rui P. Andrade
Release Date: 2012 Dec 18
Genre: Experimental / Drone
License: CC BY-NC-ND
Label: Colectivo Casa Amarela

Introduction

When you discover the aural vessels of Rui Andrade you might find the beauty in noise you never considered to have any characteristics before. Rui has used the noises from fans as the soundscape basis for this work. It provides a fascinating a fascinating environment for him to work within.

Discover The Aural Vessels

In this case, the work is divided into two tracks. The first is ‘What hath God wrought?’ a twenty-one minute exploration of a very dark field. Rui creates a space for his prepared guitar and synthesizer to explore in between the drone of the fans and propellers. The artist chooses to blend them carefully to make alterations to the sound of the fans, without actually processing the fans themselves.

The second track ‘Chris Marker’ is a little lighter in texture than the first, however the complexities of the sound within the white noise and rumbling of the fans is still there. Also, the method of working within the white noise is still in use to subtly modify and shift perception of what the white noise represents.

What we have in this release is two vessels. It is left to us to discover the aural vessels properties, absorb them, feel them and interpret them. But I would say this is something that isn’t worth over thinking or analyzing. It’s really about the experience: absorbing the sounds, live in them, meditate on them. Let the sound take your mind where it wants to go.

Conclusion

As I’ve said in the past, there is a lot of ambient music that is difficult to write about. Any attempt at analyzing it feels like an exercise in dishonesty, when the sounds are really just here to be experienced. Rui Andrade has done an excellent job of taking sounds from the world around us and using them for a transformation. But the transformation is subtle as he works his magic from within the white noise and rumbling of these large, industrial fans. So, I will stop here with the analysis and suggest that instead you give the tracks a listen. Let them wash over you and see what you experience when you listen to them.

Also, I will make another suggestion: this is the kind of music that is best experienced with headphones, in a quiet room (or with noise-cancelling headphones), in the dark if possible. That is the best way to get the most of the experience of this work.