Review Summary: This tape is it.
Generator is colossal. Not in the sense that it's overwhelming or grandiose, but more in the way that it presents itself. Keith Fullerton Whitman had done several albums, tapes and projects well over a decade before this one, but this tape in particular captures the very essence of what he's all about. While it's indexed as individual tracks, it's far much easier and more sensible to treat
Generator as one singular piece of work. Wielding a massive array of rich, full analog synthesizers, Whitman takes a very minimalist path on this endeavor and knows exactly when and how to progress from one point to another -- whether it be through a brief segue in the pulsating rhythms or a subtle exchange between hypnotic melodies.
Generator progresses much like you'd expect the classic minimalist pieces would; think of Steve Reich's
Octet, or for a more apt comparison (and not an excuse to namedrop stuff), Terry Riley's
A Rainbow in Curved Air for example.
Generator takes after its minimalist forefathers, although with a great deal of vintage electronics and a debt to modern production for allowing the rich textures and dense melodies to compliment each other nicely. While a great deal is owed to its influences,
Generator is very much rooted in the present and within the context of Whitman's works prior to this tape, also looks forward to the future.
