Radian is a trio from Vienna, specializing in 'microrecording': sampling short patches of instruments into a synthesizer and then layering the hell out of them. The results are at least interesting, sometimes recalling the glitchy side of Matmos or Mum, other times building into a mass of sound, reminiscent of other microtonal composers. Repeated throughout the album, the 'micro' technique could have become a burden or even worse, a shtick, but Radian does well at keeping the organic samples in symbiosis with the live instruments. They float along in the background, sometimes swelling into a wall of white noise, sometimes dropping out altogether. It creates a unique palette of sounds diverse enough to hold your attention until you get to the real meat of the recordings.
John Norman's bass and Martin Brandlmayr's backbeat form the core of Radian. Brandlmayr particularly shines, creating a bridge between loose experimentation and calculated arrangements. In fact, without the funky, syncopated rhythm, there would be little to hold on to, which brings me to one of Juxtaposition's biggest detractors: It's minimalism. Some of the tracks work (and when they work, they work very well), while others don't. "Vertigo" crawls to the four-minute mark with a subtle build up of synthesizer hums, and then deflates. "Helix" rides a sluggish drumbeat for five and a half minutes, with only a faint melody to show for it. When a song does reach a crescendo, it relies on a steady, pulsating bass note, usually accompanied by frantic drumming, squalls of white noise, or both. Obviously, Juxtaposition is not for the faint of heart. It is blatantly experimental, though most indie fans should find it at least mildly accessible. Once you let the washes of noise sink in, elongated melody lines start to reveal themselves, and as it is with most experimental artists who don't abandon all forms of tradition, there is an underlying order to things. Give Juxtaposition some time, and it will pay off.
1. Shift
2. Vertigo
3. Rapid Eye Movement
4. Transistor
5. Helix
6. Ontario
7. Tester
8. Tiefenscharfe
9. Nord