Peter Maybury is known to followers of Sub Rosa as the graphic designer responsible for the eye-popping series An Anthology of Noise & Electronic Music. But he also appears on the Belgian label as
Hard Sleeper. After a rather disappointing introductory contribution to the 2002 compilation CD
Floating Foundation, Vol. 2, Maybury has done much better with his first full-length release.
Rain/A Leaf Spiral adopts the format of a good old LP. First is the "side-long" "Rain" (23 minutes), followed by the four-part suite "A Leaf Spiral" (18 minutes), two very different works of minimal electronica, engaging the listener on different levels. "Rain" is the most striking piece. Here, Maybury uses several "real" instruments (played or sampled, does it really matter?), from bass and keyboards to percussion, in a dialogue with the lush digital background texture. The sweetness of the tune and the delicate way in which instruments are introduced bring to mind the early days of new age music (before it became typified), but the piece remains on its own unusual ground. A bit repetitive in the long run, it nevertheless provides an enjoyable experience and invites repeated listens. With its cycling glitches and clicks, "A Leaf Spiral" is less original, its playground having been the hangout spot of
Taylor Deupree,
Kim Cascone, and the like for a while. Maybury plays it nicely, though, especially in the third part, where things get colder and more disquieting. The incremental changes in mood from section to section show a strong level of composition, and it is that well-measured pace that gives the piece its charm. ~ François Couture