Rehberg and Bauer -- Ballt -- Touch Records, 1999

Fans of the more shadowy and obscure corners of European electronic music may recognize Vienna's Peter Rehburg and Ramon Bauer for their work under the aliases Pita and General Magic. Those who don't should look into their respective works for a better idea of a new breed of sound manipulators that are popping up all over the world. If you like Oval, Microstoria or Pansonic, this album will be of great interest to you. It's not really ambient although the soothing tones and abstract clattering noises would go down well in any experimental DJs set. It's not noise, although some of the tracks do verge upon the repetitive scree of of artists like Merzbow or Masonna. What it is, is a challenge. The shifting tones, clicks and digital glitches were processed from two cd players and a computer program with the intent of making you think. This isn't the kind of thing that you would expect to hear at your local record store or in your mothers car. "Ballt" leaves itself open to interpretation, whether you think it may be the sound of two samplers making love or the sound of a computer virus eating away at a program. In any case, those looking towards something a little more avant garde would do extremely well with this release. Those looking to dance would do better with a Moby record.