Electrotherapy

by Scott Smallwood
Deep Listening Publications, New York, 2004
Audio CD-ROM, 13 tracks, $16.00
DL CD 29 -2004
Distributor’s website: http://www.deeplistening.org

Reviewed by Stefaan Van Ryssen
Hogeschool Gent
Jan Delvinlaan 115, 9000 Gent, Belgium

stefaan.vanryssen@pandora.be

Diathermy machines, ultra violet ray oscillators, sectorless wimhurst machines and five-inch induction coils hold a special attraction for historians of science, collectors, and physicists, I suppose. Apparently, they also attracted Scott Smallwood's attention sufficiently to inspire him for a CD full of processed noises from these machines.

In 13 tracks, with names like 'renulife', 'energex', 'sunkraft' and 'electraply', Scott Smallwood explores the sonoric space constituted by the noises of these machines. Ranging from monotonous clattering to noise, white noise, and more noise, this space is quite limited, so the overall impression of the CD is one of a walk through a vast landscape of very selfsimilar white and pink noises and inconspicuous machine sounds. On second listening, the noises acquire some identity——unfortunately Smallwood doesn't give any information on the sources of the sounds in each track——and a kind of music glimmers beneath the surface. And I think it really takes a third hearing to finally appreciate the diversity and the intrinsic beauty of this sonorous space.

Admittedly, this is not an easy listening CD, with its dominant monotonous white noises and obsessive rhythmless 'beats'. We are forced to carefully listen to extremely small variations and unobtrusive modifications of sounds from a realm we are utterly unfamiliar with. As such, I think the CD will be scavenged by DJ's, collectors of samples, sound engineers and the like for whatever reasons they deem necessary. It wouldn't pay full respect to the work Smallwood did, but I'm afraid that will be its fate. Meanwhile, let's listen again, for the fourth time, and appreciate the music.