Kali Malone and Drew McDowall’s Magnetism (Ideologic Organ) is the product of a decade-long friendship. McDowall is known for his work with Coil and Psychic TV, whilst Malone has forged a varied career including work in the field of contemporary classical music and collaborations with Stephen O’Malley, Lucy Railton, Caterina Barbieri and Leila Bordreuil. The two renowned artists got together in McDowall’s Brooklyn studio and began to spontaneously create, with the results ultimately being the the music that forms this album.

The music on Magnetism is all instrumental, based around synthesizer sounds, and doesn’t contain any overdubs. The compositions are ambient and in free time. Minimalist melodies and basic harmony parts interweave to create sounds that are sometimes lulling and at other times unsettling. The timbres are sometimes soft and gentle, but they can also be harsh and noisy at times. Discordance is used to great effect throughout the record; the combinations of synth tones often sound slightly off. These clashing tones generate palpable tension that is often never fully released. At these points of disharmony the music feels unresolved, and this has a corresponding emotional effect on the listener which can be challenging.

Indeed, Magnetism could perhaps be described as a difficult listen. The compositions rely on atmospherics more than traditional melody or harmony, and it can be hard to find much to hang on to. But maybe this misses the point. If the listener allows themself to get lost in the abstract textures and avant-garde sonic tapestries, there are subtleties, nuances and dynamics to be discovered. As the sounds wind around each other, sometimes jarring and sometimes harmonising, there is an intense emotional journey that can be accessed if the listener is open enough to let the pieces draw them in.

Within the ebb and flow of the compositions there are a few standout sections. The ostinato in “The Secret Of Magnetism” is captivating in its wonderful simplicity. The way the minimalist melodies of “The Sound In My Mind” interact with the ominous harmony parts is mesmerising. The deliciously off-kilter textures towards the middle of “A Sound That Is Alive” are strangely beautiful.

In Magnetism, Kali Malone and Drew McDowall have created a work that is deeply intriguing and eminently interesting. It certainly won’t be for everyone, but those well-versed in experimental ambient music will find much satisfaction here. Magnetism will reward listeners who persevere with it and allow its peculiar atmospheres to envelop them.

Buy the album here:
https://kalimalone.bandcamp.com/album/magnetism

7 / 10
DUNCAN EVANS
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