CD, Sound On Probation, 2008
www.soundonprobation.com
I could tell this was going to be a highly artistic experimental CD from the moment I took it out of the envelope. Packaged with glorious artwork and imagery, there is an element of class before you even put the CD in the player.
I like to take pride in my stupidly high patience levels. These were tested to the point of ridiculousness within the realms of track one (no track titles here): monotonous feedback repeats itself for something that feels like an eternity up until the last two minutes of the song when orchestral swirling elements enter all too late. When your track is somewhere near the eighteen- to nineteen-minute mark, it’s enough to drive anyone mad, so not an altogether great start.
Thankfully these orchestral waves take shape and become the basis for track two. There is no denying that this is completely barking in all its seriousness to have a stab art pure art, and in all fairness the second number is so plum strange that it is intriguing enough to keep you transfixed, counting your blessings that Perrier is actually going somewhere with this album. From here on in, things gradually begin to flower. Subtle ambiences tripping up over each other, gradually gasping for air as they reach suffocation point, and what appears to be fully-fledged organic violins and cellos drearily approach from all angles, knocking the music off kilter, and it works.
Saying Perrier writes obscure music is an understatement. It’s a risky business producing what he has here, and more credit to him for trying. “As Far As” is by no means brilliant, dangerously teetering on overstating itself, but it’s also a decent release if you are after an extremely strange album; definitely one for those who simply are so relaxed they have enough time for anything different.
[7.5/10]
— Tony Young