amon tobin’s new experiment

Today marks the release for Brazilian break-beat/sound collage artist Amon Tobin’s new album Foley Room. While previous albums have been constructed largely from mutated loops and sounds culled from his personal vinyl collection, all the sounds on Foley Room have been recorded via various field recording techniques (a Foley Room is where sound effects are often recorded for film). While field recording may not be a new trick for other hardworking experimental electronic artists such as Matmos or Herbert, it is good to see Amon Tobin trying it out himself.

Sounds ranging from motorcycles, tigers, scrap-metal, and (apparently) cats eating rats are weaved into the albums dense soundscapes using Amon Tobin’s signature production methods. Live instruments were also recorded/sampled in sessions with the Kronos Quartet, Stefan Schneider and Sara Pagé.

My favorites include the reverse slo-mo growl/stomp of Big Furry Head, the fuzzed out cinematics of At The End Of The Day and the title track, which would almost sound at home on an Aphex Twin record.

There is also a limited edition version bundled with a documentary DVD covering the recording and production methods involved in the creation of the record. As I am a sound designer and electronic musician myself I would be very interested to check it out.