Anne-F Jacques is a Montreal sound artist who plays acoustic noise-music on invented instruments. Mechanical loops are created when various objects are attached to spinning motors amplified by contact mikes, assemblies that Jacques categorizes as her “rotating devices.” Unlike the digital world of perfect repetition, her improvisations are brought to life by erratic variations arising from the malleable mechanics of her contraptions.
Sable ou Sel contains two tracks labelled simply “A” and “B,” each close to eleven minutes in duration. An ever-present pinkish noise background reminds one of listening to a seashell—if one could vary the intensity, which at times threatens to rupture speaker cones with low frequency bursts. Against that backdrop, Jacques adds layers of static sparks and engine grinds, along with more delicate irregular ticks. While this is unmistakably coarse music, it is less harsh compared to the more extreme forms of the industrial genre. Rather than the postapocalyptic cityscape of Eraserhead, we hear the nuts and bolts of small parts being assembled and disassembled, stamped, stapled, and falling to the floor. The overall impression is of a day in a disorganized tack factory located in a highly reverberant silo.
While both tracks share similar textures, “B” distinguishes itself through a stiff monochromatic dance-beat towards the end, before fading out with muted percussive knocks and what sounds like a forest full of insects. Jacques’ music has a strong physical presence, yet remains playful—a tricky balance, pulled off here with finesse.
