Architecture of Loss

Album review

Little surprise that the founder of Bedroom Community would happily do what he chooses when it comes to his own solo efforts, but it has to be said that Architecture of Loss is the kind of "because he can" release that fully justifies being in control of things, an indulgence in the best sense. Composed as the soundtrack to a ballet of the same title by Stephen Petronio, and then adapted for formal stand-alone release, Architecture of Loss lives up to its title as an aural meditation on not just loss but destabilization, an architecture coming apart. "Guard Down" begins as a long, slow buildup of nervous strings and tones rises, but "The Crumbling" is where it all really kicks in. Besides being beautifully titled, the slips of strings suddenly cut in along with fried electronic tones, as a piano softly maintains a direct melody/rhythm that shifts to a sweeter but still unsettled aftermath where bursts of skittering clicks emerge. "Guardian at the Door," another one that starts quietly, ends up shifting quickly into a very queasy place, with tones from strings and electronics stretched out and floating in space with the kind of tonality that suggests sublime, looming indifference rather than direct action -- though it still feels like something's about to go wrong at any moment. In contrast, there's the quick "Reverse Erased," which eases into an acoustic rhythm that could almost be a rock song of sorts, thanks to the bass, albeit derived from Dead Can Dance. More settled compositions in comparison include "Between Monuments," where the piano/strings combination settles into quicker but not obtrusive reflection, and the unnerving bullet-impact glitch on "Big Reveal" is another strong highlight overall.
© Ned Raggett /TiVo