EVENTLESS PLOT - ikon
(CD, Granny)
At a certain level of
abstraction all rationalization becomes very complicated and complex and
hard to follow. When I first listened to “Music for Airports” and then
also when I first listened to “My life in the bush of Ghosts” I was very
much less than thrilled or excited, and maybe the reason for this reaction
was on the one hand that I listened to these pieces some decades after they
were first released, and on the other hand after I had read a lot about
them, so my expectations were completely formed. And, of course, the two
reasons worked together to result in a self-fulfilling dissatisfaction. My
lesson from this was never to go towards a new record with prejudices. Or at
least try to, because honestly, it is impossible. All you can do is to check
and re-check your reactions.
Eventless Plot construct music
on a level of abstraction that makes especially wholeheartedly subjective,
purely emotional listening hard to reach excitement. On the other hand, pure
rock and a well played guitar riff, e.g. “Brown Sugar” by Keith
Richards, goes directly to that part of your brain but will probably only
hold up to a more intellectual consideration by heavy re-argumentation and
re-connotation. (Which should be avoided by changing to this argument: “I
know, it’s only rock’n’roll but I like it.”) Therefore it is usually
the best to take music as it is. And if you are able to enjoy and experience
a musical rendition of stasis that is not ambient or drone but postrock in
the best sense of the word as stated above, then you are ready for this
little album. Because with all means available to them, this band / project
from Greece dives into the notion of non-movement with full force. It took
me some months to get to the bottom of this, and maybe I didn’t but just
managed to find a place to stand on that allowed me to take a good look, so
what may be disregarded as simple and uneventful pickering at first sight,
is actually an exciting endeavour.
Compared to their last release
Eventless Plot (the split lp with Goodnight Mr. Gorsky also on Granny
records) has taken a big step towards a new journey, which will take them to
new places and unchartered waters. Who can say where to exactly? Probably
not even they themselves. But moving is good and important on a different
level, especially when it leads you to analyze non-movement in an artistic
sense. Maybe it was all given away and predictated when they chose the name
“Eventless Plot” and they back then never thought anything of it.
“Ikon” takes that travel for six times in six very different ways but
every time the basic non-motion remains. Even when there is a break, a
bridge or a change in rhythm in their tracks it seems as if it only adds to
the overall stasis. It must be an intention, because “ikon” says as
much. What is an icon, if not something that is so fixed in people’s minds
that is a complete fixture and cannot be changed? (That is except for irony,
because irony can do anything…) It is hard at times to even make out if
Eventloss Plot are a band playing on real instruments or electronic or both,
because they mix it up with grace and skills, producing subtly winding
tracks that make Sunday mornings hold their breath and not go by.
Unfortunately every record has to end at some time.
