Magnet

Talk about making something out of nothing! Rafael Toral is most strongly associated with the electric guitar, but on this one track CD single he bypasses instruments altogether. Instead the Portuguese audio magician coaxes tendrils of pure electronic resonance from a feedback loop generated by an equalizer and two 4-second delays. He fashioned the resulting hums, bubbles, and whistles into a gorgeous, shimmering piece that of music that satisfies Eno’s ambient imperative; it sounds pleasant in the background, but give it your full attention and you’ll be mesmerized by the masterfully layered flux of tones.

Bill Meyer