Roly Porter - Life Cycle of a Massive Star (2013)

The former Vex'd conspirator and Bristol-dwelling Mr Porter is carving out a fine new space for himself amongst like-minded noise-tinkerers such as Emptyset, and here he delivers a new long-player of nail-biting soundscapes that successfully refigure the bombast of his previous endeavours and applies it to more abstract realms. For every cacophonic crescendo there is an arresting lull, as fearsomely demonstrated on "Gravity", and it's astounding just how much this is about melody, harmony and timbre as much as sonic texture. Steeped in evocative string arrangements and ever moving through different scenarios, the tapestry woven here is a must for anyone craving the intersection between classical and avant-garde composition.