Various Artists - Les Espaces Electroacoustiques II: Masterpieces Of Electroacoustic Music Presented In 5.1 Surround And Stereo [Col Legno]

Released via the conceptual and oftentimes Contemporary Classical-leaning imprint Col Legno on February 28th, 2k20 is "Les Espaces Electroacoustiques II: Masterpieces Of Electroacoustic Music", a various artist compilation featuring a selection of works of Contemporary Classical / Electroacoustic / Musique Concrete composers like Luigi Nono, Luciano Berio, Karlheinz Stockhausen and Gottfried Michael Koenig whilst focusing on their re-interpretation - or better: re-representation - in an extended spatial context, assuming their initial compositional intention to be experienced in a stereo field or even surround context. And even though we cannot fully evaluate and assess the surround success of this new approach to these pieces written in between 1955 - sic !!! - and 1999 as our reviews are usually written in a stereo headphone setting there's no doubt about the fact that pieces like Luigi Nono's "La Fabbrica Illuminata", an outerworldy, interdimensional cluster of vocal layerings and electronic manipulations in combination with elements of classical opera composed in 1964, the impressive 40+ minutes spanning "A Floresta E Jovem E Cheja De Vida" from 1965/1966, Gottfried Michael Koenig's captivating 1955's reprocessed micro cut-ups in "Klangfiguren II" as well as Karlheinz Stockhausen's all-time classic "Kontakte" alongside all others featured, yet unmentioned, on this double album do present a certain unprecedented quality of stereoscopic perception which surely offers a new angle and level of appreciation for these important pieces of early electronic music composition. Recommended.

Album artwork on Instagram!