VANGUARD
THE ART OF NOISE: Into Battle (Zang Tuum Tumb Incidental Series 12") The Trevor Horn putsch on pop enters its final decisive phase. I used to hold Horn responsible for everything that went wrong, only now I realise I was complimenting him all the time. The Art Of Noise wrestles his past successes into a better perspective. Here is an impish architect of sound, a splendid deviationist who achieved the impossible of making pearls from pigs ears — Dollar and ABC —
Horn’s newest mission, masterminded by a mysterious M, is to absolutely and finally prove that everything is possible, that nothing need fall outside the popular imagination. Where others limit themselves to music’s sliding scale of references, The Art Of Noise drops commandos behind enemy lines in time to raid the 20th century for raw material and rediscover joy in what was too readily conceded to evil —
Words, first over-and now de-valued, are no longer enough. When they’re breathed during The Art Of Noise’s 25 minutes it’s only as simple codes —
Don’t take fright, it’s not all the angular clatter of battle; ‘Moments In Love’ is a gorgeously orchestrated latter day ‘Je T’Aime’ whose mechanical-sensuality is tempered with the thumping fall of a piledriver rhythm, as befits the times.
The Art Of Noise is to remain unfettered. Only then is it possible to restore Noise to Art.