Michael Prime
"Domestic Science" CD

 Michael Prime is the frontman of the english combo Morphogenesis. His solo projects are usually released on his label Mycophile. I discovered him through a LP of nice organic electroacoustic works.
On this CD, his approach is obviously more conceptual: its four lenghty pieces are manipulated sounds of domestic appliances, i.e in order an electric radiator, a pasta preparation on a gas hob, a freezer and a washing machine. The resulting sounds are very varied, oscillating between calm resonating sounds of contact microphones to pure digital treated sounds. The compositions change also from minimal to noisy complex frameworks. Amongst this large range of treated electronic sounds, you recognize the bubbles of a pan cooking good al dente pasta or the sonic maelstrom of the washing machine rotor. I found the beginning of the record a bit too minimal and conceptual but progressively, the thorough processing of these everyday sounds acquires some power and gives meaning to this "domestic science"; the most interesting and intense piece being the last one based on the washing machine.
 
Mycophile - CD (1998) - time: 52.32