Dutch composer Rutger Zuydervelt known as Machinefabriek released an 11 minute song, “VIII” which features Marissa Nadler on vocals. “VIII” will be featured on the new album, With Voices set to release on January 18th through Western Vinyl and available for pre-order. Nadler has received acclaim for her mezzo-soprano vocals, described as “one you would follow straight into Hades, and in mythological times could have lured men to their deaths at sea.”
The song begins with a siren like sound of lightness that weaves in and out with various vocal ranges. The technique of Machinefabriek when it comes to composing music, heightens the listener’s awareness through various techniques. The synthesizer and breaks in between vocals is gradual and warm. Nadler’s voice fades out with instrumental interruptions before she re-enters the piece and then fades out slowly again. This piece is sure to allow utmost relaxation if not the deliberate creation of a mind-altering and soothing environment.
The album, With Voices has eight pieces which exhibit Zuydervelt’s use of cassette recorders, tone generators, radios, synths, and other hifi curio to construct various vocal work from Peter Broderick, Marissa Nadler, Richard Youngs, Chantal Acda, Terence Hannum (of Locrian) and others. With each song, artists voices are featured as musical instruments rather than mere vehicles of lyrical content.
Zuydervelt who is from the Netherlands started working as Machinefabriek in 2004. Except for a few piano and guitar lessons when he was young, Zuydervelt didn’t study music. His music combines elements of ambient, modern classical music, minimalism, drone, field recordings and lowercase. After releasing a series of self-released CD-Rs, the official debut, ‘Marijn’, was issued by Lampse in 2006. Performing live has been an important expression for Machinefabriek. He took his gear to Russia, Israel, Japan, Canada, Switzerland, Spain, Czech Republic, Germany, Turkey and England.
On the new album, With Voices, Zuydervelt uses vocal smatterings talking, reading, etc. and determined how the tonal elements should be arranged, dictating where each musical passage would ultimately lead. “The idea was for everyone to just do what came naturally” he recalls, “the element of unpredictability was important to me.” In a recent press release, the new album is described as ‘more than simply an album of collaborative features’ With Voices is a mutating collage of modern minimalism that challenges as often as it comforts.
With Voices Track List:
1. I (with Terence Hannum)
2. II (with Chantal Acda)
3. III (with Peter Broderick)
4. IV (with Marianne Oldenburg)
5. V (with Zero Years Kid)
6. VI (with Richard Youngs)
7. VII (with Wei-Yun Chen)
8. VIII (with Marissa Nadler)
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