Viosac is an abbreviation of Violence and the Sacred, and unfortunately calls to mind some kind of prosthetic scrotum, but as one-time openers for Chris and Cosey its an association they’re probably quite happy with. Dawning Luminosity is their third release and apparently something of a departure, three pleasantly subdued drones, almost ambient in tone. Earlier releases presumably took a noisier, industrial approach, given their affinities. All sounds were produced using analogue synths and effects and transferred to analogue tape, so vintage warmth is clearly important to them, something which comes across in these long pieces.
Little else does, however, but that’s no shame, as glacial shifts in form and texture is what drones are about. Similarly, the three pieces here are distinguished by subtle differences in texture and tone. ‘Part 1′ centres around a thick low end stream, gradually opening up to allow higher pitched tones to enter, oscillating like sheets beaten in the wind. ‘Part 2′ proceeds more slowly, utilising sharp organ tones and flicking between dichotomous sides, density and sparseness, light and dark, clarity and haze. ‘Part 3′ is the richest, most rewarding piece, a velvet weave of sinuous strands and throbbing pads the texture of syrup. Included with each CD is an individual artwork, mine an attractive series of Franz Kline charcoal marks.
Joshua Meggitt
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