The first half of Icebreaker’s spellbinding set consists of masterful minimalist Terry Riley’s In C, a classic from the early days of the serialist movement. There is a pulsing polyphonic sound which darts around the instrumentation in natural ebbs and flows. This interweaving appears totally organic and transmits a serene simplicity that is both meditative and more complex than it appears on the surface.
Kraftwerk Uncovered is so much more than a mere Kraftwerk tribute and again focuses on the form of minimalism belying richly structured arrangements. The striking intro develops into a repetitive refrain in loops and curves of sound. This is accompanied by visuals by Sophie Clements and Toby Cornish which feature what could be industrial metal sheets or close-ups of razor blades presented in an abstracted triptych.
Icebreaker here have an insistent depth beneath the simplicity to create an ambient soundscape that conjures up aural memories of Kraftwerk’s oeuvre as well as having a life all of its own. The music pulsates with the shifting cinematic light above to gel and merge our sensorial delights. Megahertz starts slowly and hauntingly and progresses into a trancelike movement.
The polyrhythms are, inevitably, reminiscent of Steve Reich’s patterns of minimalist music with subtle tonal changes that build up layers and textures in a modular manner. There is a German voiceover to go with film of electric generators and urban landscapes. At times J Peter Schwalm’s mixing board is overloaded to distortion and he can be seen as the overlord of this remarkable orchestration.
Eventually the frenetic frantic pulsating of sound and image gives way to more tranquil scenes of nature and some beautiful flute playing. This idyllic and beatific section is a relief after the tempestuous earlier mo0vements. The bass is given its place at this point too, rumbling away in an almost stomach-churning intensity and a plaintive cello adds melancholy to the mood. As expected Autobahn is an influence here with films of vertiginous travel of rapid white lines. Quite simply Icebreaker have created a masterpiece for both ears and eyes that remains with you in earworms for days. Brilliant.
23 January, Howard Assembly Room, Leeds.