Robert Hampson: Répercussions

Here’s a bit of musiqe concrète that doesn’t feel like the latter word is trying to make blunt contact with your skull. Even though Robert Hampson was once a member of the dangerously aggressive shoegaze act Loop, and even though he’s currently churning out works on the Editions Mego label, Répercussions is a little bit softer to the touch than you might expect. It’s still a swollen body of sounds with three tracks ballooning over 38 minutes, but the cumulative effect is one that nudges you along, gently bouncing off the walls.

The rushes that wrap up the title track are present, just not tense. In fact, nothing here takes the overall sound to a boiling point, not for lack of potential. This shows true restraint. Low synth grumbles do not brood for “De la Terre à la Lune”. And to call “Antarctica Ends Here” monotone would be simplistic seeing as there are several tones traveling at once, fading in and out like colors in a packet of light. Call it detached, call it obtuse, call it aloof, but Répercussions oddly gives the listener the idea that Robert Hampson is currently in a content place.