THE HAFLER TRIO - DISLOCATIONAcknowledging psychoacoustics is a weapon held by sonic arts to be used in a no-way-out for the listener intelligence. Taking the example of Andrew M. McKenzie a.k.a. The Hafler Trio, it is obvious that taking into account perspectives of the listening activity and the sounds’ impact on the listener is valuable not only for making music but also for socio-psychologically observing the reception of it by individuals. McKenzie’s work has been like that from its mid 80’s beginning holding a place in the always-contemporary list of audio art.
This H3o re-release of the original 1986 Staaltape (former subdivision of Staalplaat for tape releases) cassette release named Dislocation is an originally all-in-tape audio documentation compiled work of a trip. Better understood by the text accompanied in the CD current release packaging, the alternative view of the human quest is being expressed by a general juxtaposition of symbolisms borrowed from religion and astronomy as well as relative text by no means explanatory. In personal experience and search for the meaning, there is an Odyssey resemblance. The quest journey of the new humanoid who has no gender or substantially objectified shape is not after “home” but “self”. The vessel of the “Tourist with a Pendulum” instead of a Dictaphone in this case, is not hope but unawareness of location.
Calling upon the simplicity of elementary facts about the Universe, symbolism here is used as the path through the ego fusion; with text and sound forming a solid unit of a theatrical play studying existence alone, amongst others and within the All.
Precisely using symbols to dislocate audience, pointing at celestial locations and sighting various religions’ icons this album is to indulge the effort for one to locate their sonic sailing progression on the Dislocation map. Helpless as it may sound, it IS a journey through nothing to nothing for something, without that degrading it in significance.
:: The Hafler Trio/Dislocation - Korn Plastics/A-Musik
