review by: Avi Shaked

Igor Krutogolov has gained himself a name as one of the more disturbed figures on the Israeli avant-garde scene, leading bands such as Kruzenshtern & Parohod (check our archives for the review) and Karate Band Toy Orchestra.

On this solo release he unveils a composition he originally wrote as a soundtrack to a film (by Hiromi Yamamoto and Takayuki Iwasawa), which has remained unpublished.

This is a far more relaxed piece than his usual output. The avant-garde flavor he favors is here, of course, but this time around he approaches it from a more minimalist standpoint.

Krutogolov surrounds notes of voice, bells and various other objects with air, and the listener can react in a diversity that moves between getting bored to being fascinated.

In the absence of the movie it was written for, the composition is left for interpretations by its absorbents. To me, the atmosphere suggests an infant’s room in an old haunted cabin, with a carousel of dingling toy-creatures hanging above the child in order to relax him. An occasional door-screeching marks his parents’ arrival to check up on him, and there’s a bug that does the same, penetrating the room harmlessly.

Sections IV and V of the piece carry a certain development, introducing a string symphony that gradually occupies the listener more and more, with water running and various objects clashing, eventually breaking down the bent melody. The later sections proceed with a certain guitar boost that is coordinated with the chimes.

Wardrobe is an album full of quirkiness, which is never clouded by dense aesthetics, hence remaining true to its own low key statement. Still, even avant-garde followers will probably find it hard to follow, and they may be more satisfied with Grundik + Slava’s Frogs (reviewed in issue 33). (6.5/10)