GHOSTS ON MAGNETIC TAPE - ANDREW LILES RECONSTRUCTION

In February of 2004, Steven Wilson released his Bass Communion album "Ghosts on Magnetic Tape". This album of minimalism was inspired and based around a set of recordings made by Konstantīns Raudive, a scientist who studied parapsychology, of alleged voices of the dead. Contrary to popular opinion, this Bass Communion album did not actually have any "ghost voices" on in, though it is a dark and spooky album.

In June of 2004, a companion album was released which contained a reconstructed version of this original album. These radical reconstructions were done by Andrew Liles who has also worked with the bands "Current 93" and "Nurse with Wound". Taking his experience with the subject of the paranormal, Liles reworked the orginal Bass Communion album and took things even farther by actually adding in some of the original Raudive recordings of spirits communicating with the living through the medium of magnetic tape.

If you have listened to the original album, you know how creepy it is. This reconstruction of the album multiplies the creepiness factor by 100. You still have reworked versions of Wilson's eerie compositions, but now, alleged voices from the afterlife are also added in for real. These sounds do not distract from the original at all, but actually add to it.

If you are looking for something really scary to do this Halloween season, then get a good pair of headphones, turn off all of the lights, and immerse yourself in this reconstructed album. I guarantee you, you will get the heebie jeebies. You will not only get an eerie sensation, but you will get startled and, I dare say, scared. There is no way to prepare yourself for this either, if you think you can outsmart it by being ready for it. The minimal music will draw you in and sudden outbursts and noises will seem to come right out of your headphones and will make you jump with fright. I have done this a few times, and even though I know whats going to happen, it never fails to frighten me.

This is more than just a novelty album. It is completely serious, and that is what makes it so scary. But, you will find yourself coming back to it. The music is a master work in minimalist study, drones, sound manipulation and what not, as most of the Bass Communion albums are, but in this case, you have the sounds of the undead rolling around in your brain. It's a tough one to simply just put it on and listen to casually, it's best to hear it through headphones and lose yourself in it. This time will actually fly by if you don't have a heart attack first.

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