6/22/2017

Ran Slavin — Thermo Swing & Quanta​+​Else / Studio Blanks 01​-​02


In this double record, Crónica has reissued the first and the third albums of Ran Slavin specifically for all those fans who wanted to get an insight into Ran’s early works. This is a very interesting release, since I always wanted to know where Ran has started, to trace his journey to the later works. Thermo Swing – is a set of frank and direct experiments with jazz.

I am very sympathetic to the easy flowing and dynamic structures of futuristic jazz created by Slavin in this record. Ran uses a number of music instruments, producing unique sound solutions. Just listen to such tracks as Intro, Piano Loop Alien and Straight Cycle – which will get your interest immediately and the next thing you will want to know is how these tracks fit in the body of the album Thermo Swing. I really want to point out a dub track, called Dus Dub, which is built using echo, delay and reverberation effects. You can listen to this nightlife soundtrack forever.


Quanta+Else/Studio Blanks 01-02 is much closer to the line, started by Slavin in his later records. It is filled with a large number of glitch, experimental sounds, clicks'n'cuts, dynamic noise textures. All 19 tracks are complex and require several listening finishes. These are disassembled structures, sound design approaches and improvisations, that can be joined in a specific and unique music ensemble. Some of the music examples on this album indicate us the direction for the future works of Ran Slavin, where Quanta+Else/Studio Blanks 01-02 is only the starting point.