Indieville

Escape Mechanism is the work of Jonathan Nelson, a member of the detritus.net group of culture jammers and sound collagists. This self-titled release features eighteen works of his, comprised of 100% recycled sound. There are old news broadcasts, field recordings, and thrift store record samples all thrown in, mixed and manipulated to create solid, thoroughly entertaining compositions. While not as overt and witty as some of the genre's veterans (Negativland, Evolution Control Committee, People Like Us), Nelson uses an abstract, sparse style that allows his pieces to slowly establish themselves - sometimes this takes the form of atmospheric, drawn-out compositions ("Human Knowledge," "Paranoid"), while at other times the music makes use of a firm beat and groove, ala some Bran Flakes and Steinski material ("Digital Occasion," "Why Does the Light Fall?"). The most successful songs are "Being" and "Draining," which establish strong themes (existentialism and childhood innocence, respectively) and tackle them with a sense of fun and catchiness.

All in all, this is a strong plunderphonics release from Jonathan Nelson. While not as blatantly accessible as a Bran Flakes record, this album fits the bill as a memorable audio collage CD geared mostly towards those already acquainted with the scene.

- Matt Shimmer