SHORTELL, TIMOTHY - Windows

"40 page full-color photo book (perfect bound) with accompanying music. Shortell is AKA Brrr, and a founding member of the Anti-Naturals with Scott Foust, Karla Borecky, Graham Lambkin, and Tim Goss. "The music uses synthetic elements, industrial sounds and instruments alongside field recordings. The latter are never gratuitous, nor are they merely a window-dressing (if one will pardon the pun), but function as structural elements to the music. "Tropical Storm Irene" is a good example of this, whereby the sounds of rain are manipulated to take on the same glissando as the synthesized elements, lending the whole affair a rather maudlin tone.Shortell himself writes in the (brief) liner notes that windows serve -¢‚Ǩ-ìas a boundary and a portal between public and private in social life-¢‚Ǩ¬ù. While he quickly goes on to state that this project addresses the aesthetic potential of windows, rather than the sociological functions (latent or otherwise), the last track,-Ç "Parque Hotel", sounds rather analagous to just that boundary. Murky and incomprehensible vocals are augmented by washing synth lines, as though reflecting the listeners moments of eye contact with diners while peering into a busy restaurant. Surely the albums flagship, and somewhat reminiscent of Idea Fire Companys work (it is released on the Anti-Naturals imprint Überkatze Studio, and mixed by Graham Lambkin after all)." - Cut and Run blog.