The first verifiable hit from the Japanese Symbolic Interaction imprint, Rudi Arapahoe's Echoes from One to Another is a remarkable avant-classical work. Not much can be found about this musician on the Internet, which seems to say: "let the music speak for itself." I'd normally be pretty ticked off at a musician for pulling the mysterious card on us for no apparent reason, but in this case, by the end of the album we actually do feel like we know Mr. Arapahoe pretty well. So he's off the hook, for now...

The album excels in its command of moods and atmospheres. Arapahoe scavenges through the instrument warehouse to come up with a large selection of sounds originating across an even larger time line. Although many of his basic instruments are fairly typical of the neo-classical genre (violin, piano, harp), the mood evoked from them is a much more atypical matter. His music recalls that of the Gothic and Romantic eras, of course updated with intricate synth and electronic work (just imagine Beethoven with access to some Moogs!). Kaithlin Howard contributes some absolutely ghastly vocals to the album as well. These vocals really provide the icing on the cake, reinforcing the dark qualities of the album and giving the album a distinct feel. So, what we're looking at is a neo-classical album with a twist – that twist being that there's really nothing "neo" about it at all. So then it's just a minimal, classical type of album, but not really in the way that such a phrase would make you think. Confusing, isn't it? Let's explore some more.

Echoes From One to Another has all the characteristics of dark, brooding music, but it also retains a light, fluffy quality. After much thought I've decided this is due to the production work. Arapahoe could have easily made the piece sound very dense and heavy, as is not uncommon with releases that rely on lots of ambient and electronic undercurrents. In doing so, a flatness would have pervaded the album, perhaps even giving it an industrial edge, and solidifying the dark aspects of the album. However, this is not the case. Instead, everything is mixed in a soft and delicate manner where the layers float freely, independent of one another and safe from compression. So, the ambience becomes light, airy, and sparse – quite the opposite of what we'd expect from a dark album. It's still not quite "happy," but is capable of being dark without overbearing, oppressive without aggression. In another light, there's a standard mode of ambient texturing out there which would have killed the subtlety at work here. Arapahoe avoids this tendency, and instead offers up something that sounds relatively new. If I may, it's akin to a single beam of light in a shrouded forest, destined to be consumed by darkness, but diligently resisting the void that awaits it.

While much could be said about the individual tracks, I'll leave that task to a more anal-retentive reviewer. A theme I would like to bring up is that of perversion, which seeps through the cracks on a few occasions. I find this interesting because I do believe many musicians are afraid to address this subject for fear of turning their music into some sort of pornographic, masturbatory display, which (in theory) might cheapen the "artistic" qualities thereof. But, Arapahoe finds himself in a unique position. His goal is understandably one of an antiquated sound, and sexual exploration was, during these times, very much taboo. In a disc filled with mystery and darkness, taboo is only appropriate, is it not? Thus, the panting in "Echoes from One to Another" seems to indicate some sort of orgasmic activity (as the title might be suggesting?) and the discussion in "Conversation Piece" about 'skull-fucking' surely drives the point home for any who may have missed it. (Those who haven't heard of the phrase 'skull-fucking' would do well to use their imagination.)

In effect, Echoes from One to Another seeks to alienate the listener. This is accomplished by transporting them back to a world in which they feel detached – one that is dark and hidden in mystery. All the components of the music are familiar, but there is an unnerving part that it all doesn't fit together in a way that we've previously experienced. It's all a bit foreign. Even the vocals themselves – what are they doing? Why are they here? Many would opt to leave them out, but they're here, they work well, and we don't quite know what to do with them. Then Arapahoe tries to make the listener uncomfortable by forcing us to observe events of an awkward sexuality. Again, it's important to note that the audience isn't actively engaged in these occurrences. We're not part of the discussion on "Conversation Piece" and we aren't an agent in the action on "Echoes from One to Another." Instead, we're just witnessing these events unfold, and doing our best to try to act like we aren't paying attention to the private moments happening right before us. This tactic is rather effective; it does succeed in pulling the listener into the album without the standard emotional hooks that a less skilled musician would have to rely upon.

What Mr. Arapahoe has stumbled upon, I claim, is that there are more ways to interact with a listener than those widely accepted by the instrumental crowd. The album is neither narrative-driven nor emotionally draining. Rather, it's more akin to voyeurism, and, like reality TV, it’s so intriguing that it's difficult not to get sucked in.

-Lee Whitefield