Signal To Noise (US)

As with the first in this series of collaborations between NY residents Deupree and Kirschner, Post_piano 2 is built around a disarmingly simple concept. Kirschner’s recordings of his childhood piano, made in his home studio are the singular source material from which Deupree has generated three new works. As Kirschner points out – his studio environment is anything but perfect – a train shudders by his studio window once every few minutes and it’s this acceptance of external environmental noise and interference that grants this record such an organic quality – as even affter the processing and editing from Deupree has taken place the vague blurs and echoed environmental sounds attached to the piano recordings appear ever so slightly. It’s this relationship between the tonal quality of the piano and surrounding sounds of Kirschner’s studio (and neighboruhood) that is perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the project and indeed lends the disc its own feel and sensibility when compared to their first collaboration. Deupree’s care in reflecting the nature of the instrument and its qualities is apparent within each of the edits – listening to “01.09.2005” for example, you can hear the playing style and mood of Kirschner within the processed piece. Equally “08.09.2004”, shows another side of the piano – this time almost pondering the physical relationship between the instrument and the space (both real and virtual) in which it is placed. – Lawrence English.