DUAL "Caste"
CEE Recordings | 001 | CD | 2000
DUAL "Fall"
CEE Recordings | 003 | 2 x 3"CD-R | 2003
DUAL "Keimar Sty"
Coombe Records | coom001 | CD | 2001

Dual is a project from an ex-member of UK 's noise guitar/electronics group Splintered Colin Bradley who, along with various cooperators, has been running it since 1993. Dual is not a continuation of Colin's previous style, though a trace of the noisier past can be found on his debut CD "Ceste" (one of four Dual's album, however I cannot find anything on 2 anothers in the press pack!). Released in 2000, the album comprises 6 tracks that have already formed the core of group's music to be found on their next records. It's long guitar dronings! Bradley generates and simultanously records them directly in the studio, and then gives them the final touches by processing and manipulating sound sources, thus creating 'multi-layered textures and rhythmic based brooding static ambience' (quoted from the press release). The main features of the album are quite raw sound and relatively fast tempo of changes within tracks. It makes the music dynamic and lively. Neverthless, it still remains trancey, floating bands of droning guitars in the manner of Maeror Tri or Main. But the appearance of sound/rhythm loops, fast sound wavings, clatterings, post-industrial noises doesn't make things easy to pigeonhole. The most intense release I've heard from Dual so far.

Chronologically, "Fall" is located somewhere between 'Ceste' and 'Keimar Sty' but music-wise it's definitely closer to 'Keimar Sty'. The curiously produced release consists of two 3" CD-Rs comprising live recordings from Drone Records festival in Podewil in Berlin (19.04.2000). The 6 tracks featured here are ionising ambient hazes with spacey, 'zero-gravity' drones. The authors (Bradley & Richardson) focused entirely on conjuring dark moody ambience putting aside former itches to create multi-layered textures. Of course, it's not "music for airports", they incorporate some pulsations, subtle distortions, and sonic snippets. Somewhere between Coil, Contrastate and Peter Namlook... Strange thing about "Fall" is the date of publishing - 2004! So, I cannot say if it shows the current style of Dual or doesn't...

Back to the studio stuff... 'Keimar Sty' is the latest full length album from Dual, released in 2001. No idea why there's no new material scheduled for the near future except some participations in compilations, or in shorter format releases. Anyway, the sound on this album evolved more into deep ambient area. Some Grassow / Wiesse's sort of things. 5 long tracks go into mediative/trancey mood, there are no sudden twists in sound floating, nor interruptions nor more violent/noisier elements. Colin Bradley and George Richardson keep droning and multiplying layers that interfere with each other which results in very rich sound textures. There're also some undercurrent beats and pulsations that add a dynamic feel. Good producer's work!!!
To sum it up, I recommend all stuff by Dual (at least that that I've had chance to listen to); it's very intriguing, and listenable. Not really outstandingly original, but who the fuck is original these days??? Let's hope Colin will find a while for an interview we offered him some time ago...

[krzysztof sadza]