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Receptor Sight is an Independent duo from California. “Cycles
and Connections” is their second release.
"Cycles and Connections" is an interesting collection of meditative
instrumental compositions that defy classification. The best way to describe the unique qualities of this album
is to take you through it track by track. The music begins with "Flying Towards the Hole" an uninhibited tribal
beat that intensifies as it changes. The beat is accompanied by a number of sound effects that blend naturally
into the unpredictable progression. Next, "The Basal Ganglia Forest" brings us into a formless work of middle eastern
style guitar and acoustic percussion (the liner notes do nothing to explain the instrumentation so I can only guess they used
a small set of bongos here). After a brief interlude of ambient noise we are plunged into the surprising "Fourth
Song." This track is the first thing the album presents in the way of a conventional progressive rock song with
its electric guitars and driving beat. Even this song breaks up the form though; about half-way through the action
begins to rise. Soon after it falls, and twists and turns until it evaporates into a cloud of sound. "Slowed
Down Thumb" is collection of chimes and other small percussion (sticks, blocks, etc.) that puts one in mind of a Philip Glass
composition (with the keyboards removed). This is followed by "Bagel and Green," the highpoint of the album. This
lengthy track has a jam band feel to it. It has much more structure than anything we have seen thus far. Still,
it mutates a number of times. It begins with a deceptively simple melody, and once you think you've nailed down
the pattern it changes. The album ends with "Escape Velocity/ The Receptor is Open," a swarthy mixture of dark
sounds. A low drone lays the foundation for a collection of percussion, strings and watery noises. The
track ends with a brief moment of intensity which fades to silence. Even when it's over you're not sure it's over.
I
found myself enjoying this album much more than I had expected, because it purposely defies the human mind's desire for repetition. These
ever changing compositions have a way of disturbing and comforting simultaneously. I know many listeners will try
to pigeon-hole Receptor Sight as "stoner music." Call it what you will, this album can serve a variety of creative
purposes.
Key Tracks: Bagel and Green
Reviewed by: Jared Brown
Receptor Sight - Cycles and Connections
Buy it from InSound Get this on iTunes
Joyful Noise Recordings turn another dose of bizarre
sound scraped noisescapes with their launch of the new Receptor Sight album. More of a soundtrack to nightmares than a cozy
electronic ambient piece, “Cycles and Connections” fire off synapses and tantalize optic nerves with acid jarring
noise manipulations. What I find most intriguing is the relative flow of all of the songs—which are more hypnotic journey
than one might expect initially. Psychedelic rock is the centerpiece but it’s those insane sonic journeys that one falls
back to that seem to circle about in the middle of the mix somewhere up real high. Music for intellectuals would sound confining
but it just might fit here.
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Receptor Sight - "Cycles and Connections"
(Joyful Noise
2004, JNR-5)
From Aural Innovations #30 (February 2005)
Receptor Sight is the project of two brothers based in Mt. Shasta,
California. Being a biologist, I love the description in the bio of this CD, "…would be a good soundtrack to a neuroscience
textbook". This is the duo's second release and the tracks range from 6 seconds to nearly 14 minutes, and you hear a wide
range of instrumentation in these bizarre dark brooding soundscapes. "The Basal Ganglia Forest" has really cool bass and hand
drums that create a really cool intertwining sound. "The identification Toss" is basically a noise drone that leads into "Fourth
Song", which features a real drumkit (first on the CD) and a real track that builds up into something very interesting over
the 8 minutes. "Slowed Down Thumb" takes you into a Tibetan temple like place. "Bagel and Green" is a 13 minute track with
guitar, bass, drums and other strange sounds mixed in for head candy. While the track is slow and very repetitive, it slowly
builds, much like Circle, before floating out into your minds space and taking off again. "Escape Velocity/The Receptor" closes
the CD with a slowly building 14 minute journey to your synapses. A very unique sonic journey is created during this track.
Cool stuff. Bands like this need to have underground film producers as good friends. Click on the links on the bands web page
and this will give you an idea (I guess) of what bands have an influence on the music they are making.
Aural Innovations
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