*0 | 0.000
Mu | CD
Mu sum up this CD in a few concise words: "you can't hear anything". You can't, except for the two 'test' tracks which bracket the CD's silent majority. Both use basic 1kHz tones, gradually warbling out of phase ('test1') and blending left-right pulses back into one ('test2'). That's it; simple confirmation that your equipment and your ears are working. The rest is all infra- and ultra- inaudible.
What's the point? Sakata's intention appears to be to draw our attention to the idea of Nothing or the appearance of nothing when there is, in fact, Something. Fifteen of the seventeen tracks are out of reach to our senses - perhaps even to our audio equipment (almost certainly true of mine). This unhearing listener was drawn to these 'sensible' limitations and perhaps made more aware of his own stimuli-needy impatience. You might ponder something deeper, meditate, pray or simply read a book undisturbed. At the very least '0.000' offers an opportunity to be still.
Apparently a remix CD is in the pipeline with contributions by the likes of Bernhard Günter, Richard Chartier and Stephan Mathieu. Whether they choose to multiply, add, subtract or even divide by zero the results are likely to be no less challenging.
[GM]
