Released
1999

Label
Little Man Records
PO Box 45636
Seattle, WA

Reviewed by
Zari

Contact
Vox Barbara

Visit
Vox Barbara

Last Edit/Update
10 October, 1999

Vox Barbara

The Five Senses

Track Listing

1. Spiral Musk
2.Liquidity
3. Ensonance
4. The Stickiness of Colors
5. Membraneous Absorption

Vox Barbara is Frank Smith

    This type of music isn't something I listen to all the time, or even  know all that much about. I suppose I would classify it as [dark] experimental ambient music. The production quality of this release is excellent. All of the sounds come through clearly.
    The packaging was quite obviously handmade. It did not come to me in a traditional jewel case or even a digipack, but a stiff paper cover that had been carefully folded into a type of sleeve and was sealed with wax. The accompanying booklet explains each track to a small degree, and includes text from the book that inspired the CD, "Ravings of a Madman" by Anaitre Tellsos, which was written in 1797.
    There are 5 tracks on this CD, which are called sound- scapes by the artist. They range in length from 5 minutes to 10 minutes. Each has a different feel to it, and are probably best described by the artist in the booklet. Each brought a different vision into my mind.
    The first track "Spirit Musk" made me think of a cemetery procession. There was a bit of drumming at the beginning that brought to my mind a vision of a long line of dancing skeletons beating on drums while accompanying a casket to its final resting place.
    "Liquidity" was the title of the second track. True to its name, it contains sounds of water with a bit of the metallic sounds from the first track at the beginning, then moves completely into different sounds similar to a stringed   instrument with the water as a continuing theme. Eventually the water disappears altogether and we are left with the "strings" and some metallic noises. Toward the conclusion of this soundscape there are some almost traditional stringed instrument sounds and it fades away into oblivion.  Beautiful. It made me think of a walk along a creek or a river, only to emerge out of the woods and into an area where there is a large factory puffing out smoke and waste.
    "Resonance" begins with a loud noise that I can't identify. It continues on and some bells that sound like manic Salvation Army bellringers begin. The noises continue on and on... and this is probably my least favorite track of the CD. Its not bad, but its not my bag baby. :)
    The fourth track "The Stickiness of Colors" is the shortest of the CD. I think if I had to pick music for the movie "The Blair Witch Project", this would be on the list. I could definitely see this track fitting in quite well during one of the scenes where they discover the weird witchy stuff that has been left out in the forest for them. It is a somewhat creepy sounding track, and a bleak forest is what comes to my mind when I hear it. A bleak looking forest where all the trees are leafless and all you can hear are weird sounds in the night.
    "The Stickiness of Colors" fades beautifully into the final track "Membraneous Absorption". To me it sounds like a lot of the elements from the previous tracks rolled into one. It kind of sums all the other tracks up and sends you on your way.
    I would recommend this release to anyone who enjoys ambient music. I enjoyed it a lot. The website has sound samples of each track for those of you who like to try before you buy.

Price: $8 postpaid in the US
[Editor's Note: The Vox Barbara CD is worth every penny.]