Review by Tamara Desiatov

Henri Pousseur's album, Early Experimental Electronic Music 1954-72, is a mesmerizing collection of avant-garde compositions that showcase the Belgian composer's pioneering work in electronic music. The album, released by Sub Rosa in 2018, features nine tracks that span nearly two decades of Pousseur's career, from his earliest experiments with tape manipulation in 1954 to his later forays into computer-generated sound in the early 1970s.

Listeners who are familiar with the works of other electronic music pioneers like Pierre Schaeffer and Karlheinz Stockhausen will find much to appreciate in Pousseur's compositions, which blend musique concrète techniques with more traditional musical forms. The opening track, "Scambi," is a prime example of this approach, featuring a collage of found sounds and snippets of classical music that gradually coalesce into a dizzying, multi-layered tapestry of sound.

Other highlights of the album include "Mobile," a piece for four-channel tape that uses spatialization to create a sense of movement and depth, and "Parabolique d'Enfer," a haunting work for solo soprano and electronics that evokes the infernal imagery of Dante's Inferno. Throughout the album, Pousseur demonstrates a keen ear for texture and timbre, using electronic manipulation to transform everyday sounds into otherworldly sonic landscapes.

Summary by Tamara Desiatov

Early Experimental Electronic Music 1954-72 is a must-listen for fans of electronic music and avant-garde composition. Pousseur's innovative use of technology and his willingness to push the boundaries of what was considered "music" in his time make this album a fascinating and rewarding listening experience.