Originally released on CD in 1996, this is arguably the most dramatic of all of the original Soundscapes albums.[endtease] Radiophonics is a densely layered release, employing orchestral timbres, FX-laden atonality and sublimely uplifting harmonies.
Mix and match composers such as Ligeti, Schnittke, Pärt and Gòrecki, even a pinch of Teutonic knob-twiddlers, Tangerine Dream, and you get close to the eclectic range of textures and vistas on offer here.
The centre-piece of the album to this listener is the four-part Buenos Aires Suite: a rare case of Fripp serving up a kind of programme music evoking the sights, sounds and some of the political and spiritual undertows of that city. The blissful Elegy (for Mothers and Children) is Fripp at his most humane and passionate, whilst the drive-by drones of Streets describe the rapid transition of a city waking up and rapidly filling with people and the internal combustion engine.
Fan reaction at the time of its release was mixed with many finding it harsher and more oblique than the previous year’s Soundscape release, A Blessing Of Tears. Demanding and full of foreboding, it’s fair to say that this isn’t an album for the faint-hearted Fripp fan.
At the time, these performances were Robert’s first solo concerts in over eleven years, with the peices here taken from two performances at the Goethe institute: tracks one and two from the first concert and tracks three to six taken from the second performance of the day.
The extensive sleevenotes which accompanied the original CD release will be made available in the WORD section of this page. There are no plans to reprint this album in CD format in the future hence its appearance on DGMLive.
Originally released on CD in 1996, this is arguably the most dramatic of all of the original Soundscapes albums.[endtease] Radiophonics is a densely layered release, employing orchestral timbres, FX-laden atonality and sublimely uplifting harmonies.
Mix and match composers such as Ligeti, Schnittke, Pärt and Gòrecki, even a pinch of Teutonic...
I wish DGM would dump the silly star system -- how do you "rate" music like this? How many stars do you have? Give Radiophonics a thousand. This music is the dark to the WFC’s (11/30/2000) light. I’ve also found that Radiophonics perfectly bookends the 11/14/2003 King Crimson concert at Kingston, NY -- they just seem perfect together. Give it a try. --Chris DeVito
Written by Joseph McFarland
Really, A Good One
Not all of the Soundscapes work grabs me - honestly, much of it doesn’t. This one does though and I think it’ll appeal to the large group of people who really loved the first two Fripp & Eno records and the Frippertronics records, and want something more along those lines of exploration. The sound is Fripp in a harsh mood - dissonant and aggressively so. Rather than deploying peaceful relaxing loops with small patches of aggressive noise, the noise is a primary color here.&n...
Not all of the Soundscapes work grabs me - honestly, much of it doesn’t. This one does though and I think it’ll appeal to the large group of people who really loved the first two Fripp & Eno records and the Frippertronics records, and want something more along those lines of exploration. The sound is Fripp in a harsh mood - dissonant and aggressively so. Rather than deploying peaceful relaxing loops with small patches of aggressive noise, the noise is a primary color here. Much of the sound is metallic - "An Index of Metals" could have been the title of this CD. And it works very well in this listener’s opinion, in the mold of those earlier records I mentioned but opening up the palatte of sound in a new direction. It’s inventive ambient, great stuff.
Written by Louie Bourland
Radiophonics Revisted!!!
1995’s "Radiophonics" is only one of the many volumes in guitarist Robert Fripp’s ongoing ’Soundscapes’ releases. Recorded live in Buenos Aires, Argentina, "Radiophonics" finds Fripp stretching his soundscapes into lengthy dissonant explorations which are sometimes beautiful, sometimes frightening but always musically intriuging. A good majority of this album is quite difficult to listen as it consists mostly of dissonant chord clusters and moments of almost psychedelic effects with soun...
1995’s "Radiophonics" is only one of the many volumes in guitarist Robert Fripp’s ongoing ’Soundscapes’ releases. Recorded live in Buenos Aires, Argentina, "Radiophonics" finds Fripp stretching his soundscapes into lengthy dissonant explorations which are sometimes beautiful, sometimes frightening but always musically intriuging. A good majority of this album is quite difficult to listen as it consists mostly of dissonant chord clusters and moments of almost psychedelic effects with sounds that pan rapidly between the speakers. However, when listened to with a different set of ears and an open mindset, "Radiophonics" can turn into an amazing journey of otherworldly sounds. The opening two "Radiophonic" pieces are similar to each other and consist of random scales coupled with low rumbling tones. The final minutes of the second "Radiophonic" piece are a wild excursion into weirdness with use of rapid panning. The panning effect is most effective when heard on headphones. The remainder of the disc consists of the half-hour long "Buenos Aires Suite" which consists of four movements. "Atmosphere" once again provides an unsettling mood and tension with its dark chords and dissonant note runs. The mood settles into brief calmness with the second movement "Elegy" which is similar to the peacefulness captured on Fripp’s "Blessing of Tears" disc. The weirdness returns with "Streets" which is another showcase of wild stereo panning used to greater effect here than on "Radiophonic II". The peacefulness returns with the closing movement "Sky" which ends the album on an airy lighthearted note. Granted, the "Radiophonics" CD won’t be for everybody. Out of all the Soundscapes CD’s Robert Fripp has released so far, "Radiophonics" is probably the most experimental and harsh of them all. Aside from this, it is still a powerful album that shows off Fripp’s relentless gift for musical exploration. Because of this, "Radiophonics" definitely gets five stars. Thanks again to DGMLive for bringing this one-of-a-kind classic back.
Written by Pablo Martinez
Impressions
I was lucky enough to attend one of the performances at Goethe Institute. I remember two things vividly from that day: first, flu was distroying me, and I was so horrified with the perspective of sneezing or making any noise that I changed my seat on the front with a guy that was on the back. The second thing I remember: Robert turning some knob on his module, endlessly, making terrible whirlwind noises, at the point that I thought he had lost control over the piece and could ...
I was lucky enough to attend one of the performances at Goethe Institute. I remember two things vividly from that day: first, flu was distroying me, and I was so horrified with the perspective of sneezing or making any noise that I changed my seat on the front with a guy that was on the back. The second thing I remember: Robert turning some knob on his module, endlessly, making terrible whirlwind noises, at the point that I thought he had lost control over the piece and could never regain it.I really liked that evening. I had a nice feeling when bought the CD and find my city pictured by his music.Sorry if this review hasn’t much juice.regards,pablo