Bleep

Bristol’s Young Echo Collective member Sam Kidel makes his debut on Mancunian stronghold The Death Of Rave with a truly insightful and intriguing piece entitled Disruptive Muzak. The work follows Kidel’s interest in Muzak (the empty, un-engaging music often used to placate customers whilst holding on the telephone), subsequently resulting in the artist creating his own form of ‘hold music’ and in a classic instance of role reversal, saw him play his own composition back to members of the DWP and various Government call centres, without talking, whilst recording their bemused yet often disinterested reactions. The distant piano chords and subtle glitches create a mood of general disassociation, heighted by the feel of emotional detachment from the call-centre workers, whose indifferent responses evoke a sense of gruelling monotony and lack of social engagement amidst a politically bleak 2016 in the UK workplace. Admittedly, this could go over some audiences’ heads, although for those interested in Terre Thaemlitz’s early Mille Plateaux era ambient releases or anyone who likes a little extra context in their music, this comes highly recommended.