beast: beast vol 2

Pre-Echo Press present Beast, a new project and moniker from acclaimed sound/visual artist, Koen Holtkamp (Mountains). A somewhat radical departure from Holtkamp's previous working modes -- where sound has typically been treated as an edifice to be sculpted -- the works here are far more concerned with the generative possibilities of rhythm. The pieces on Beast developed out of Holtkamp's creation in 2016 of an audio-visual performance that centers on the physical properties of light via 3D laser projections. Rather than simply make a visual element for a piece of music (or vice-versa), Holtkamp created a system that intricately links every aspect of the performance, from the modular synth and virtual instruments to the constantly shifting projections of his "Color Phase" light installations. As form follows function, the sounds created here are by necessity more immediate, more off the cuff, more pattern oriented, and explore a much further range of dynamics than the somewhat amorphous (yet still gorgeous) work. The work harkens back to "Process Music" of the 1970s, being simultaneously minimal and maximal (think Jon Gibson), as well as the lush pop-minimalism of early 1980s (think Soft Verdict), all the while remaining thrillingly contemporary. Beast Vol. 1 (PREECHO 007LP) was recorded in real time and is presented with minimal edits to divide it into three pieces. It is the slightly rawer and more abandoned of the two volumes. Beast Vol. 2 is a more "in studio" version, and as such, retains a more palpable air of elegance while still remaining a side of the same coin.