Luc Ferrari - L'œuvre électronique

_{2009 | Musique concrète, Sound Collage, Acousmatic Music, Tape Music}

One thing that I think is really important to remember is that this is a compilation, not an album. At first it might not seem like an important discernment to make, but in my opinion it drastically changes the way this should be approached. If this were an album, it means that Luc Ferrari spent years crafting a single, massive body of work that would span over 10 hours and 10 cds - but it's not. Instead, it's a career retrospective that takes the listener on a multi-decade long journey through sound and the limits Luc Ferrari pushed it to during his time as an artist. To me, this makes this compilation much more impressive, because although it doesn't contain every single piece of music he made, it still showcases most of the material he ever released.

So why does this matter? It matters because Luc Ferrari managed to make a cohesive sonic experience using most of the material in his entire discography - not using material he recorded with this specific release in mind. The sequencing is incredible; moments of meta-dialogue where Ferrari himself talks about what kind of music he makes foreshadow sound experiments that show up later in the compilation. Completely separate releases flow effortlessly together sonically. It's really amazing how well this comp flows in general - normally with longer releases like this I have moments of exhaustion and fatigue, but I really didn't feel that at all while listening to this (which I did in one sitting, making that even more surprising to me).

The length is definitely an obstacle to most people, but if you are looking for an overview of the limit physical sound can be pushed to, then this is an essential listen. It takes Cage's philosophy of making the sound around you music and forces it onto you very literally; the "Far West News" section specifically showcases multiple real-life situations where Luc Ferrari does everday things like order food and converse with normal people. It's really one of the most fascinating experiences I have ever had with music, as it literally challenges the listener to rethink what they consider music in the first place. It's just one massive love letter to sound, and Luc Ferrari pushed the concept to its limit.