Jim O'Rourke and Not Waving - 2019 - Side A / Side B

 

Diagonal – DIAG049  131.28MB FLAC

Side A / Side B is one of the more unusual collaborations in Jim O'Rourke's catalog because it never quite settles into being either a remix or a collaborative record. Alessio Natalizia, working as Not Waving, originally supplied source material that O'Rourke was invited to reinterpret. What began as a relatively straightforward reworking gradually evolved into something much broader, with additional sounds passing back and forth until the final result became less about one artist reshaping another's music and more about two distinct approaches finding common ground. The finished recording still carries traces of its origins, but it ultimately sounds like a work with its own identity rather than an extension of either artist's existing catalog.

The release is divided into two long-form compositions simply titled "Side A" and "Side B." Those deliberately functional names avoid suggesting narrative or concept, leaving the music to define its own character. Each piece occupies a different emotional landscape, yet both share an interest in gradual transformation rather than immediate impact. They reveal themselves patiently, allowing texture, repetition and harmonic movement to accumulate until the listener gradually recognizes how far the music has travelled.

"Side A" opens with restrained synthesizer figures that seem suspended in open space. At first the arrangement appears almost fragile, built from only a handful of repeating elements, but each cycle quietly introduces another layer. Small melodic fragments begin interacting with one another, creating gentle harmonic shifts that continue expanding without ever abandoning the hypnotic pulse established during the opening minutes. O'Rourke has long demonstrated an ability to stretch modest musical ideas into richly detailed structures, and that gift is especially apparent here.

The composition never relies on dramatic contrast. Instead, its emotional force comes through accumulation. New textures emerge almost invisibly, subtle changes in harmony alter the atmosphere, and repeating patterns gradually develop unexpected weight simply through duration. There are echoes of the expansive instrumental writing heard on Bad Timing and The Visitor, though translated almost entirely into electronic language. Acoustic references disappear, but the architectural thinking behind the arrangement remains unmistakably O'Rourke's.

Where the first piece feels spacious and meditative, "Side B" introduces a more restless energy. Repeating sequencer patterns weave through one another with greater urgency while irregular rhythmic movement continually unsettles the apparent pulse. Rather than settling into dance music or conventional electronic composition, the recording occupies an unstable middle ground where rhythm functions as another shifting texture instead of a fixed framework.

One of the most rewarding aspects of the collaboration is the way neither artist overwhelms the other. Listeners familiar with Not Waving's dense electronic atmospheres may recognize fragments of his sonic vocabulary, while O'Rourke's unmistakable sense of pacing and structural patience quietly shapes the overall direction. The music avoids becoming a compromise between two styles. Instead, both approaches seem strengthened by the encounter, producing something neither would likely have reached independently.

The production deserves particular attention. Every layer occupies its own carefully balanced position without sacrificing the illusion of a unified environment. Bright synthesizer tones drift above darker sustained frequencies, while countless smaller details appear briefly before dissolving back into the larger texture. Headphones reveal extraordinary depth, but even casual listening makes it clear how carefully every sound has been positioned. Nothing feels ornamental. Each element exists because it changes the perception of everything surrounding it.

The contrast between the two sides also demonstrates O'Rourke's continuing fascination with duration. Neither piece feels concerned with reaching a destination. Instead, both encourage listeners to inhabit a slowly changing environment where the passage of time becomes part of the composition itself. Familiar patterns continue returning, but each repetition arrives carrying slightly different emotional weight because the surrounding musical landscape has gradually shifted.

Although Side A / Side B runs for less than half an hour, it possesses the same immersive quality found throughout much of O'Rourke's electronic work from this period. Rather than compressing ideas into concise statements, the music creates enough room for subtle developments to become meaningful. Tiny harmonic adjustments, changes in density and slight variations in rhythm carry remarkable expressive power precisely because the compositions refuse unnecessary distraction.

The collaboration also highlights O'Rourke's remarkable adaptability. Whether working alone, composing for film, producing other artists or responding to another musician's source material, he consistently resists the temptation to impose a recognizable formula. Instead, each project develops according to its own internal logic. Here, that logic produces two beautifully balanced pieces that exist somewhere between remix, collaboration and original composition without belonging completely to any one category.

Side A / Side B ultimately succeeds because it never treats collaboration as novelty. The meeting between O'Rourke and Not Waving becomes an opportunity to investigate shared interests in repetition, atmosphere, gradual transformation and electronic texture. The results remain patient, intricate and quietly absorbing, rewarding repeated listening not through obvious complexity but through countless small relationships that continue revealing themselves long after the first impression has faded.