Alva Noto: electronic pulchritude

(Yes, I know that pulchritude refers to physical beauty, but it’s such a lovely word that I can’t resist misusing it) I’ve been listening to some rather beautiful music recently in the form of Alva Noto’s For and Xerrox Vol.1, and Fennesz and Sakamoto’s Cendre. Allied in form and, who knows, parallel in intent: the enduring appeal of Alva Noto and Ryuichi Sakamoto’s quartet of collaborations, Vrioon, Insen, Revep and the Insen Live DVD needs must be mentioned in the same (deep) breath.

Beauty is a very personal matter: Scott Walker’s voice causes my partner to recoil in horror. I’m not proposing a general rule or even noteworthy exception, but I am struck by the loveliness of the aforementioned releases, particularly Alva Noto’s. This is surely due to the fact that Noto’s reputation has been for a strain of electronic minimalism of such a clinical stripe that one almost senses the shadow of the scalpel and the sickening whirr of the dentist’s drill in its execution. It might be thought that Noto had experienced a change of heart precipitated by his collaboration with Sakamoto. The compilation of his diverse work for installation, For, proves otherwise. I’d soulseek’ed this album a while back, but paid it little attention until I began intently listening to Xerrox. (I did the honourable thing and ordered For from its label site, 12k, but must confess it’s one of the rare times I experienced a twinge of regret for the outlay – my purchase arrived in the sort of slender card envelope that promos are usually clothed in.)

For’s nine tracks are exemplary instances of digital minimalism, but they’re also notably pleasing to the ear: polite company won’t quail or cringe. In fact they might not even remark upon its presence, but if they do, there’s a chance that their observations will be complimentary. The approach variously evinced on For is refined on Xerrox. Stirred with samples from contemporary non-spaces and grated with subtle noise, it remains a pleasure to behold. Such is the nature of things that Noto’s change of heart (I write that with tongue in cheek, who knows what he’ll do with Xerrox Vol.2) has precipitated criticism in The Wire and on Dissensus.

Setting out to create an object of beauty is likely a sure route to mawkishness. A much better way is to maintain an oblique watch upon that quality, neither seek nor shun its potential, but if so desired steer towards and embrace it, if it should come close. Brian Eno is notably courageous (generous?) in this area – consider the essential beauty of Music For Films, The Pearl, Ambient 1-4, Apollo and Another Green World. So what to make of For, Xerrox, Insen and its siblings and now Cendre? I can only say that I enjoy the challenge of this little cluster of works without finding them difficult to listen to. I’m playing them a lot recently without tiring of them (yet). They may even lodge themselves in my consciousness to last longer than most. Either that or I’ve become a fusty weak-minded reactionary for falling prey to such allegedly easy fare.