Bleep

Burgeoning experimental label Soniclab have come up with something very special for their second release: an album from XNX (who was responsible for the first release on the label) pressed onto a black CD, which comes with a pen drive enclosed inside a bar of hand-made, lavender soap. The pen drive contains not only the album, but an 80 minute feature film and a web app. The idea behind the project was to provide a multi-sensory experience targeting hearing, sight, smell and touch, transferring the serene, rejuvenating experience of the spa into the context of musical experimentation.

The music itself is strong enough to carry the concept, built from meditative drones, sparse chimes and eerie keys that sound like a trip through someone else's dream. It's reflective and pensive music, with each track taking its name from an ingredient commonly found in natural beauty products. 'Rosemary' is particularly deep and delicate, while 'Peppermint' is an extended, many-hued jam. Much of the sounds used seem to riff on New Age music tropes, but there's also a decidedly dark undertone throughout which sits in contrast to the spa theme. The sharp and rasping buzzes on 'Charcoal' and the groaning drones of 'Coconut' add ambiguity, while the noise that takes over in 'Lime' is intense, though in a more unsettling than peaceful way. Taken all together it's an intriguing project from Soniclab, one that shows great ambition and promise.