Avi Pfeffer is an American-based composer working from the classical tradition but using those tropes transposed into the world of electronic music. His current album A Lasting Impression consists of four sweeping and transformative pieces that are tied together by the very nature of their journey.
It starts off thoughtfully enough, the ’80s synth sounds washing the surface with headlight sweeps as a mysteriously uplifting progression evokes the last hour of sunset over distant beaches. Whether it is intentional or not, the introduction of beats allied to the lightness of the synths that are dabbling over them give a sense of carefree abandon. The beats are not in your face, and the hazy and exuberant synths draw the listener onto their feet. There is an irresistibility at play here, but there is also enough going on to the keep the casual music enthusiast engaged.
Beats drop out at intervals and are replaced by drifting drones that usher in more soundtrack-influenced textures. You can hear elements of the sort of experiments that groups like S U R V I V E or LA Takedown are making, and some of it would sit well in the sound track to Stranger Things, but particularly on this opening section, always with an eye on the post-euphoria comedown dance crowd. The introductions to each section are slow and thoughtful, and due to the length of the pieces, there is plenty of time to allow them to unfold at a natural pace. There is often an air of calm, the synths like a summer breeze, wafting through your hair as the slow build towards the meat of the track takes effect. The constant sense of activity proves Avi’s classical pedigree; sounds are introduced then released back into the wild, a constant build-up of tension is palpable. Although there are only four sections, they seem to be made up of many ideas, drifting into different territories, but linked seamlessly like a story unfolding in the air before you, sometimes even taking sinister directions as the beats drop out and the sounds become spookier, sometimes branching into dramatic oriental soundtrack territory.At times there is an odd frustration to the tracks, as if the soul of the piece wants to veer in a different direction to that in which Avi is guiding it. The tersely rattling drums on the third section coming on like the ghost of a marching band sits at jagged odds with the more relaxed vibe of the synth lines, and to be honest there is no obvious precedent in the volte faces and changes of mood that take place across the undulating soundscapes. There is a hint of some of Ryuchi Sakamoto‘s work here, and there and at times there is a Bureau B-like monotony; but these comparisons or echoes are all just coincidental.
It is the incessant thirst for change on A Lasting Impression that shines out though, and this prevents anything from sitting still or continuing in a particular direction for too long. The wafts of synth and the spidery keyboards on the fourth section frustrate one another, but it isn’t long before another dance-floor friendly beat emanates, and that surely enjoys the playful digressions of the keyboards. As it progresses, it becomes more single-minded, urging the piece on with a slight ratchet of tension, scales ascending and descending at whim.It is hard to believe that A Lasting Impression is one person’s vision as there are so many ideas puling it in so many different directions. It feels as though hoards of people are attempting to leave their mark, and it is testament to Avi’s strength of purpose and belief in the work that it is such a satisfying journey.
-Mr Olivetti-
