Sonic Youth invested the money they earned as
Lollapalooza headliners in 1995 in a new studio. Owning their own studio gave them the freedom to experiment as they were recording, since they no longer had to pay rental fees. To inaugurate their new studio, they set out to record a series of
experimental instrumental EPs with engineer
Wharton Tiers, all of which would be released on the quartet's own label. With its winding, elliptical improvised instrumentals,
SYR 1 set the tone for the entire series. Musically, the EP isn't far removed from the instrumental sections on
Sister or
Daydream Nation, but this music isn't merely waves of feedback -- it's considered, detailed, and bizarrely accessible. Like the epic
"The Diamond Sea," the four songs have shifting sonic colors, as simple riffs build and intertwine, crossing over each other before finding a new path. It's closer to
avant-garde than
rock, but the music isn't purely cerebral, either. Recognizable statements float in and out of the mix, providing something of a touchstone for the free-form explorations.
SYR 1 also has brevity on its side. The EP lasts 25 minutes -- which is just enough time to provide an exciting blueprint for a new era of
Sonic Youth. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
