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REVIEWS
Vital
Weekly
I have been a fan of the works
of Mr. Liles and Mr. Menche for
a while now, so this CD of their
first ever collaboration is most
welcome. And it looks great; packed
in a hard carton slightly oversized
CD sleeve with typical Liles-artwork.
The 65+ minutes that form The
progeny Of Flies are divided into
4 parts. Opener Eggs (signifying
the first stage of the fly life
cycle) features the now typical
Liles-sounds augmented by Menche's
higher and harsher frequencies.
In one word beautiful. The second
track 1st To 3rd Instar features
low frequency pulses before subtle
piano chords (and reverbed pedals)
set in. Again full marks to Liles
and Menche. "Pupar"
(the third track) starts off with
a horse's neigh. After that surprising
intro we're in a world filled
with bass tones with plucked strings
and percussive elements. Closing
track Metamorphoses (to end the
fly theme) features a low, almost
prehistoric growl and Menche's
more noisy elements which builds
up to a climax. The track ends
with
piano and the buzzing sound of
a fly. This CD, subtitled "tres
muscae conummunt cadaver equi
aeque cito ac leo", which
loosely and very cryptically translates
into "three muscular complete
corpses indeed quick justice and
lion" is a gorgeous piece
of work; beautiful, restrained
and highly recommended! (FK)
Cyclic
Defrost Magazine
‘When the going gets weird,
the weird turn pro…’
- that saying might well apply
to this bizarre collaboration
between Andrew Liles and Daniel
Menche. Anyone up for a dark ambient
concept album about the life-cycle
of flies? Don’t all rush
at once…
Andrew Liles is an esoteric production
maestro based in Brighton, who
has worked with the likes of Nurse
With Wound and Current 93, and
Daniel Menche is an established
noise musician from Portland,
and this is their first collaboration.
Separately, Liles and Menche have
released - well, a lot of albums
- I gave up counting them actually…
But this is no mere soulless foray
into the avant-garde. This is
100% genuine, straight-up, satisfaction-guaranteed-or-your-money-back
weirdness, with a real artistry
to it. The Progeny of Flies plays
like the best soundtrack to the
best film of the best Murakami
novel that hasn’t yet been
written.
You want sensurround drones? Tick.
You want ghostly piano notes?
Tick. You want the odd buzzing
fly sound? Uh, tick. It’s
all here - and then some. This
is a great record, bursting with
oneiric strangeness and somnambulistic
intent. Deserves to sell more
copies than Coldplay.
Ewan Burke
Re:Gen
Magazine
Posted: Tuesday, July 08,
2008
By: Matthew Johnson
Assistant Editor
Subtitled "Tres Muscae Consummunt
Cadaver Equi Aeque Cito ac Leo,"
a Latin quotation by Swedish biologist
Carl Linnaeus that translates
to "The progeny of three
flies can consume a dead horse
more quickly than a lion can,"
this collaboration between experimental
composers Andrew Liles and Daniel
Menche is about as gruesome and
morbid as its title suggests.
With four tracks mirroring the
four stages of the titular insect's
life cycle, The Progeny of Flies
begins appropriately enough with
"Eggs," a minimalist
ambient arrangement of drones
in minor key harmonies; as the
subtle drones are gradually overtaken
by buzzing and distortion, there's
a feeling of ominous potential,
a growing sense of imminent activity
that represents the hatching of
the maggots that take center stage
on "1st to 3rd Instar"
("instar" being the
scientific term for the developmental
stages of arthropod larvae between
moults and prior to sexual maturity).
This track is perhaps the album's
most abstract, and the most difficult
to connect with its subject matter;
it's not immediately obvious how
the soft ambience and admittedly
morbid piano keys tie directly
with the image of soft-bodied
fly larvae, though the muffled
thuds do seem to make something
of a parallel with the blind hungry
motion of maggots. Conversely,
"Pupa" begins with a
frantic neighing that serves as
an unexpectedly literal reminder
of the album's subtitle, though
it quickly returns to quieter
atmospheres. Like "Eggs,"
this track represents a more quiescent
stage of insect life, when the
maggots cocoon themselves before
emerging as fully-grown flies,
but the potential for pestilence
seems even stronger here, with
loud hollow-sounding dulcimer
plucking that serves as a jarring
reminder of the intense biological
activity taking place within the
seemingly placid pupal form. "Metamorphosis"
deals with that biological activity
directly, with buzzing, string
drones, and muffled percussion
coming together in concert like
the biological systems of an animal,
ending with another literal parallel
to the album's title in the form
of amplified buzzing wings. Alternating
back and forth between ambient
symbolism and more obvious sonic
synecdoche, The Progeny of Flies
is an effective portrait of nature
at its most unapologetically grisly,
but fans of Liles and Menche's
other dark experimental compositions
are sure to appreciate this one
as well.
Judas
Kiss
“The Progeny of Flies”
brings together two giants of
the experimental electronic music
scene. Both have consistent, regular
and ongoing release schedules,
either working on their own music
or as part of other projects and
tour continuously. Andrew Liles
has worked with a long list of
other artists including Current
93, Rose McDowall, Bass Communion,
Nurse with Wound, The Hafler Trio,
Joolie Wood, Edward Ka-spel and
Jonathan Coleclough to name just
a few. Daniel Menche has long
been an experimental musician
who focuses on creating beauty
from chaotic sound comprising
of drones, tones and strange electronic
sounds. Liles work falls mostly
on the ambient and rhythmic side
of electronics where an attention
to the subtleties of sound and
the atmosphere it creates is all
important. It is this diversity
of approach that makes this collaboration
such an exciting prospect. Consisting
of four lengthy tracks, “The
Progeny of Flies” is based
around the early life cycle of
a fly from egg to insect. Tracks
range from just under 14 minutes
to 22 minutes in length and the
first edition of 700 copies comes
packaged in a deluxe book bound
sleeve.
“Eggs” starts out
with ghostly almost choral tones
sweeping around in the distance
while undulating tones rise and
fall and a low drone rumbles discretely
by, the mood heightening as the
track progresses. It could easily
represent the first stage in the
creation of the insect progeny,
such is the subtlety of the sound
and the way it hints at the formation
of life, the intensity of the
droning background very slowly
building and becoming more assertive.
“1st to 3rd Instar”
is even more subtle in tone, utilising
more space and quiet, carefully
placed sounds, gentle piano keys
and a discrete but ever-present
heartbeat like thump indicating
a progression in the formation
of the insect as the process slowly
continues. After “Pupa”
delivers an immediate shock right
from the start it then presents
a darker mood, the strings are
metallic, slightly harsh and aggressive
and the entire atmosphere is much
tenser as though waiting for something
unpleasant to happen. When it
arrives, the mood gets darker
still, otherworldly moans are
emphasised by deep rumbling drones
and slow heaving tones. “Metamorphosis”
closes the album with the sound
of the fly emerging from the safety
of its catalyst, the urgency of
the music becomes more apparent
and layered whirs of electronic
string-like sounds sweep in to
represent the buzzing of insect
wings and the swarming of flies
as they emerge from their incubation.
As you might expect from such
a pairing, “The Progeny
of Flies” is a wonderful
collaboration of two accomplished
and respected artists in their
field. Generally combining the
intricate ambient subtleties of
Liles work with the louder sound
crafting elements of Menche’s
output, the album benefits from
their considerable experience
in the creation of experimental
electronic music. Dark and intensely
atmospheric but accurately realised
and executed as you would expect
from two artists of this standing.
Brainwashed
Written
by Matthew Amundsen
Sunday, 13 July 2008
cover image Prolific artists Andrew
Liles and Daniel Menche combine
forces to tackle the subject of
flies. Divided into four tracks
named for the stages of a fly's
life cycle, Liles and Menche blend
their talents in a heady mix of
drones and subtle textures, with
vaguely melodic underpinnings.
The album has enough unpredictability
to make it both mystifying and
alluring while still playing to
the artists' respective strengths.
"Eggs"
opens with heavy drones that are
soon balanced by eerie, slight
melodies smeared across the distant
background. It's a haunting or
at the very least mysterious effect,
and the sly introduction of other
textures, like faint distortion
or mechanical cycles, increases
the tension as the track progresses.
Heavier bass-wise but overall
quieter "1st to 3rd Instar"
is also dotted with patches of
Liles' piano that aren't a whole
lot different from the various
"Anhedonia" riffs from
his Vortex Vault series. Juxtaposed
against whisper-level drones and
occasional machine thumps, they
sound lonely and bleak. This track
is the album's most introspective
and comes like the calm before
a storm.
The action picks up on "Pupa"
with a horse's anguished neigh.
It's brief but startling enough
to reawaken ears that may have
grown dormant over the course
of the last track. Bouncing bass
tones and a tinny plucked melody
lead into metallic overtones,
submerged pounding, and faintly
buzzing strings that hint of menace.
Things come to a head with the
finale "Metamorphosis."
Not only do the buzzing strings
return more agitated than ever,
high-pitched screeches like a
cacophony of punctured brass instruments
grow in a fierce chorus. There's
a brief respite before, at last,
the flies themselves make an appearance
before fading into the void from
which they had come.
Liles and Menche make the most
of this collaboration, imbuing
it with their unique sensibilities
to give the album the effective
impression of a narrative arc.
While this album skirts around
territory visited in some of their
other work, here the combination
of their skills entrances the
ear in an entirely different way
altogether.
Babysue
The first collaboration between
experimental artists Andrew Liles
and Daniel Menche recorded from
2006 to 2007 in Portland, Oregon.
The Progeny of Flies is, not surprisingly,
an odd spin. The disc features
otherworldly experimental sound
collages that are subtle and hypnotic.
The album is divided into four
parts: "Eggs," "1st
to 3rd Instar," "Pupa,"
and "Metamorphosis."
Somehow or another, these two
fellows have managed to effectively
present sounds that seem to embody
the world of insects (?). This
music is extraordinarily esoteric
and peculiar...not at all intended
for the typical music fan. Note
that the first 700 copies are
encased in a deluxe book bound
case. We have become huge fans
of the Beta-lactam Ring label
over the past few months...and
The Progeny of Flies is an excellent
example of why we are now so passionately
hypnotized. This is a pure and
unique recording that sounds like
no other. An easy TOP PICK for
this month... (Rating: 5+++)
Musique
Machine
The Progeny of Flies finds Liles
and Menche presenting a heady,
atmospheric and disturbed suite
of songs built around darkly hued
ambient tone, sustained organ
dread, creepy and sinister looped
subtle rhythmic elements and simple
yet damn creepy piano notation.
The album is built around 5 longish
tracks lasting nearon 70 minutes
in all, First up is the track
Eggs which as it title suggests
does bring to mind the slow laying
of fly eggs on decaying flesh,
faeces and rot- with seemingly
the rapidity of laying growing
as the track builds up. The track
is built around hypnotic gothic
horror like organ tones and sustains
that really seem to worm there
way into you mind with their simmering
sinister harmonic air. Next up
is 1st to 3rd instar which starts
off with looped knocking &
brooding buoy type rhythmic tone
and deep bass death hits- Menche
really building up such a tangible
feeling of decay, fear and menace.
At about 5 minute mark Liles appears
making you jump out of your skin
with a series of simply yet goose
bump inducing skeletal piano notes
that are haunting, gothic and
just slightly discordant. With
Menche continuing his dread filled
march underneath- really very
creepy, yet at the same time oddly
beautiful.
Next up is the track Pupa which
starts off with an alarming horse
like sound before opening up into
bassy and gloomy rhythmic revolutions
with the note sequence from 1st
to 3rd instar returning but in
a more jarring/sharp manner feeling
like the melody is been bloody
and painful yanked, ripped and
stabbed from the instrument. At
about midway point this element
drops out and the pair build up
a heady, shadowy mix of didgeridoo,
gong, grim sinning bowl and sawing
violin tones. Lastly we have Metamorphosis
which starts with rhythmic textures
that could well be internal piano
scapes and saws-over this a unnerving
tapestry of scratching, feeding,
sinister purring is built along
with gong tones, before a building
pitch black cinematic horn/ string
tone mix enters that reachers
quite penetrating and powerful
heights. Towards the end Liles
returns for a few runs of atmospheric
piano playing before the feasting
and brooding sustain feel returns
once more and it exits with fly
buzzing tone. A great climatic
end to the suite of songs.
The album is packed in a simply
yet effective white on black stiff
card folder with a circles drawings
of fly bodies. The Progeny of
Flies is one of the most hypotonic,
darkly compelling and at times
downright terrifying hours worth
of sonic atmospher that you’ll
sit through this year, but you’ll
have act fairly quickly to get
a copy it as it’s only ltd
to 500 copies.
Side
Line
Both
Andrew Liles and Daniel Menche
are respected experimental musicians
in their own right. Liles has
worked with a long list of artists
including Current 93, Nurse with
Wound, The Hafler Trio and Edward
Ka-Spel. His music focuses largely
on the darker aspects of ambient
and rhythmic electronics. Menche
on the other hand creates beauty
from chaos in the form of drones,
tones and assorted electronic
shards of sound. Both are prolific
and have extensive back catalogues
and busy release schedules. A
collaboration between the two
is an exciting prospect for those
familiar with their work. “The
Progeny of Flies” is, as
the title suggests, an electronic
interpretation of the life cycle
of a fly from an egg to its first
flight. Over the duration of four
lengthy musical pieces, each representing
a stage in the life cycle, Liles
and Menche sonically represent
the creation of a tiny life by
mixing Liles penchant for dark
atmospheres with Menche’s
noisier and more abrasive elements.
“Eggs” is full of
atmospheric subtleties, representing
the earliest stages of incubation
where life signs are small but
the egg is starting to grow. The
mood is subtler still throughout
“1st to 3rd Instar”
where the sounds are sparse and
the mood delicate but heavy on
atmosphere. “Pupa”
is darker and more abrasive with
metallic strings and a tense mood
perhaps depicting the more obvious
signs of growth and activity of
the life within. Closing the album
is “Metamorphosis”,
the final stage that sees the
emergence of the recognisable
form of the fly. The urgency of
the music becomes more apparent
and the buzzing of the fly in
flight is the focus with the hum
of the swarm buzzing all around.
“The Progeny of Flies”
is beautifully crafted with apparent
care and consideration. Each piece
has its role and meaning to the
album as a whole and Liles and
Menche execute it perfectly. Paul
Lloyd
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