Michael Manning: Public
Ai Records
Michael Manning's first full-length Public is a more chilled affair compared to the more dance-based releases in the Ai catalogue but it's hardly less satisfying for being so. The follow-up to his EP The Lost Aberrant Dragonfly, Public encompasses a diverse spectrum of styles ranging from ambient to hip-hop but pursues introspection above all else. At first, that doesn't appear to be the case, given the more aggressive style of initial tracks like “Sound Check” and “The Street Television.” The former merges crisp hip-hop beats with blurry voices, percussive clatter, and the soft cascades of a female vocalist, while the brooding Arabian ambiance of the latter, coloured by bell percussion, tablas, flutes, and strings, suggests a visit to a Moroccan opium den. But “Walk in the Park,” a delicate ballad that pairs Helen Lord's breezy vocals with Manning's Rhodes piano playing, signals a move into more placid territory. The beatific “Save,” the orchestral “Nothing Left to Shout About,” and the melancholy if oddly titled “Insect Potentiality” (Lord's alternately lush and swooping vocals help make it perhaps the album's loveliest song) reinforce the reflective, gentler mood. It doesn't stay there entirely, however, as demonstrated by the hip-hop-flavoured outing “Today” and the coda “Waiting for Closure.” Many of the fourteen tracks spread across the album's forty-five minutes are two-minute vignettes, though that's not a weakness as the songs cumulatively establish a strong impression.
The elegance of Manning's music belies his age (now nineteen, he was signed by Ai when just 17). Consider his restrained piano playing on the longest song, the rather hymnal “Cautionary Tale.” His minimal approach here reaps maximum rewards, especially when paired with phantom voices that drift in and out in drone-like manner. Like many a young composer, repetitive patterns in Manning's music suggest a Steve Reich influence (“Astral Poetry” and “Insect Potentiality”) though, in general, Manning forges a surprisingly mature personal style, making Public another impressive addition to the Ai discography.
July 2005
"This is the one; it’s the LP, which is really going to confuse a whole load of people, while making the rest shout out ‘finally!’ Michael Manning’s debut long player entitled ‘Public’ is a constantly evolving and organic journey which travels straight through the heart of electronic music but which continues to keep pushing, snaking from path to path. Proving impossible to pin down into one genre of music or relate to a specific train of thought.
‘Public’ showcases Manning’s understanding and appreciation of music and technology, while highlighting a talent for versatile song writing and structure. ‘Public’ moves from electronica to ambience, while taking in hip hop, eastern musical influences and even a certain classical element too. As Manning himself has pointed out, you can’t really entitle an LP ‘Public’ and have each and every song sound the same, the variation and the fact that there is never an instant where one particular sound or influence seems to dominate are the keys to this LP.
Album opener ‘Release’ is quiet literally that, an opening signal of what lies ahead, a huge musical breath pumped toward the listener in the shape of a sub bass. Things then seem to change shape and direction instantly, with the likes of ‘The Street Television’ offering up an eastern flavour with its use of live drums and programmed rhythm. The hip hop influenced track ‘Today’ which develops from very little into one of the catchiest and well-crafted pieces of music I have heard in a long time, highlights how far Manning has travelled since his first release on Ai.
Through the intuitive use of live drumming and vocals, and an ability to morph from one genre to the next ‘Public’ proves to be a truly beautiful LP. The influences range from past musical experiences, literature, TV and film and they all come together to present a melting pot of styles and directions. Proving that this release is actually in many ways more like a motion picture."
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