Timothy C Holehouse/Chris Cook

Artist Timothy C Holehouse/Chris Cook
Label None
Year 2010
Genre(s) Drone, IDM

Another in the long line of Timothy C Holehouse split releases from the past year or so. This time with Same Actor & Hot Roddy, two guises of Chris Cook. This release features a solo track from Hot Roddy, Same Actor and Timothy C Holehouse as well as two collab tracks twixt Holehouse and Cook.

Side A of the tape is dedicated to the two collaborative tracks, The Persian Sea & It Began with Nothing. Offered up are psychedelic drones, bells and swirls entering the cosmic energy. Strings being offered up as a dedication. A ceremony within a vast woodland, I know that Chris Cook plays sitar and I’m fairly certain it’s used in these two collab tracks, offering a krauty/raga vibe to proceedings whilst the electronics burn on. Stunning implementation of crescendos create a pressing urgency in what is essentially a slow moving drone. What I find fascinating is how well the traditional instruments and the electronics combine, both seem to have their own place in the composition. Too often with modern day “drone” works there’s totally useless insertion of instrumentation (See: Not Not Fun and other “hipster”-ish noise), whereas here Cook and Holehouse present a master class in not only playing but composition. Once again this piece is steeped in atmospheres that will evoke different reactions in each listener, you really owe it to yourself to discover this tape. I’m really hoping for further collaboration in the future.

Side B is where we can find the separate tracks by each artist, the first five tracks being by either of Chris Cook’s projects (Which pseudonym to which track isn’t made clear) with a final piece by Timothy C. Holehouse. Cook’s projects were a massive shock, shifting to something close to Dubstep, IDM and even some D’n’B moments. It almost seems at odds with that which came on Side A. No less relaxing for it but defiantly in a totally different spectrum, I had heard mention of an earlier Chris Cook related project (Remote) as having a Warpish/Aphex vibe and I can defiantly see the influence on these pieces. The final Holehouse track opens with slow percussion and alien bleeps and squeaks, a denser and darker approach but making both artists solo tracks stronger via the juxtaposition. Dense and suffocating drones quickly fill all available space and force the listener down, just as crushing as any Moss record!

This is probably my favourite tape out of the recent releases I’ve reviewed, as I’ve mentioned before I’m very fond of split releases that showcase different genres/styles of music and this tape is no exception. The mix of atmospheres, emotions and textures on this release make it a fascinating listen and well worth returning to.