Description
#katecarr #vinyl #vinylrecords
Step into the surreal sonic world of Kate Carr’s ‘Fever Dreams’ and prepare to be immersed in the decaying landscape of London during lockdown. As a field recordist and alchemist of sound, Carr weaves together a tapestry of location recordings, crafting a deeply atmospheric and visceral album that offers a unique perspective on England’s fetid capital city in the early 2020s. Released on the esteemed Mana label, ‘Fever Dreams’ is a psychosonic exploration that transcends traditional musical boundaries.
Derived from a diverse range of recordings, Carr masterfully edits, layers, and arranges the sounds to convey a stark sense of presence and claustrophobic atmospheres. The album serves as a sensurreal reading of high-density living, capturing the essence of dark, mouldy rooms, subterranean depths, and the symbiotic entanglements of multi-species coexistence. With an acutely synaesthetic appeal, ‘Fever Dreams’ vividly portrays the sensations of living in a metropolis.
Although ‘Fever Dreams’ is mostly instrumental, its humanity seeps through in the form of oily textures, ephemeral presences, and ghostly chorales sampled from found reels. Carr’s sound ecology intricately captures the gritty reality of urban life, from the bio-organic residue that coats surfaces to the aleatoric rustles and rumbles that permeate the sonic landscape like discarded plastic bags or the lingering echoes of public transport. The music elicits a lingering feeling of dread and discomfort, reminiscent of J.G. Ballard’s dystopian visions and the brooding, mildewed ambient works of Malvern Brume.
Each piece on the album is a sonic vignette that transports listeners to different corners of London’s decaying urban fabric. Tracks like ‘Sulphuric Haze’ evoke the sight of a clothes horse behind a closed, steamy apartment window, while ‘Disassembling’ feels like a symphony of magnified microbes. ‘A Remora on the Underside of a Manta Ray’ juxtaposes the sodden sounds of a classical chorale with ambient textures, creating an uncanny fusion. ‘Planktonic Clouds’ takes listeners to immersive water levels, leaving them choked on Carr’s illusive emulation of gritty reality.
‘Fever Dreams’ not only showcases Carr’s mastery of field recording and sonic manipulation but also serves as a reflection on the socio-political landscape of cities like London. Through her evocative soundscapes, Carr subtly alludes to the struggles of those trapped in poorly maintained housing, highlighting the disparities and challenges faced by urban dwellers. The album resonates with the prophetic visions of J.G. Ballard and the metaphysical properties found in Philip Jeck’s found sound compositions.
For fans of Chris Watson, Malvern Brume, and Philip Jeck, ‘Fever Dreams’ offers a transcendent listening experience that blurs the boundaries between music, sound art, and environmental commentary. Carr’s meticulous attention to detail and her ability to capture the essence of a place make this album a must-listen for anyone seeking a unique sonic exploration of urban decay and the human experience within it. ‘Fever Dreams’ is a testament to the power of sound to evoke emotions, transport listeners, and reflect the world around us.
