CD, Tympanik Audio, 2010
www.dirkgeiger.com
Dirk Geiger’s first release on Tympanik Audio was something of a surprise, once given the chance to properly sink in. A fluid blend of glitch, IDM and field recordings from daily life, this album can be something of an immersive experience; all it requires are the right mindset and listening conditions to click. In my case, it was absent-mindedly listening to it while working on a repetitive task.
A collection of ‘remixes of the soundtrack to real life’, “Autumn Fields” shines as aural decoration and finely walks the border between ambient and chillout music – never too subtle to be noticed on occasion and never ‘obviously’ musical – and the use of human and animal field recordings (children playing, footsteps, birds) adds essential emotional warmth to what are otherwise relatively cold compositions. There is something intrinsically personal to Dirk Geiger’s compositions which make this album something of a solitary experience, quite suitable for late-night introspective listening (and the remixes by Svart1 and Access to Arasaka admirably follow suit).
If there is something which can be pointed as a major incoherence in this album, it is brought about by obviously rhythmic tracks which, while by no means bad, starkly contrast with the rest of the more experimental compositions. This is something which could have been mitigated with a subtler overall progression from totally experimental collages (of which “Noise Format” is a favourite) to obviously rhythmic tracks (like “Overhead Projection”).
For a sophomore release, this is a rather interesting work and one gets the feeling that Mr. Geiger may have a few interesting surprises in store.
[8/10]
— Miguel de Sousa