Description
“The inlet butterfly is kept slightly open or an air injector, bypassing the inlet butterfly, is used to maintain air supply to the engine. This results in air/fuel mixture that keeps getting in the combustion chambers when the driver no longer accelerates. The ignition being severely delayed, the air/fuel mixture reaches the exhaust tubes mostly unburned. When the spark plug fires, the exhaust valve is starting to open due to the ignition delay mentioned above. Additionally, the exhaust temperature being extremely high, the unburned fuel explodes at the contact of the exhaust tubes. Luckily the turbo sits right there and the explosion keeps it turning (otherwise it would slow down since its intake, the exhaust gases, is cut-off).”
The physical striking of an object as cracking sound generator.
“In addition to the naturally hotter exhaust gas temperatures associated with a turbocharged engine, combustion within the exhaust is a further reliability challenge, giving the exhaust little relief from high temperature. Normally, when a ‘conventional’ turbocharged engine is on closed throttle, there is some respite from high exhaust temperature. Anti-lag equipped engines are often characterized by loud ‘bangs’ coming from the exhaust as combustion takes place.”
The curation of various tangible objects / tools for the rapid striking harsh sound.
“World Rally Championship (WRC) cars, for instance, generally replace their turbochargers after every race due to the destructive forces of anti-lag systems. These systems are easily recognizable by their backfiring sounds, somewhat similar to that of a gunshot…”
Another incredible example from Ted Byrnes of textural harsh sound via solo acoustic percussion (no electronics), this time streamlined and directed as a tribute to the Anti-Lag / Misfiring systems of racing cars.
Pro-tape C20, edition of 100, semi-gloss card cover in classic Slaughter / OEC style ziplock packaging.
SCREAM & WRITHE REVIEW:
Given the context of this being released on LSHN, some the sounds here initially reminded me of those of certain works by THE RITA – rumbling friction of contact mics on nylon, contact mics (and/or knives) dredging watery depths, etc., but these eventually give way to barreling sounds that conjure up the desired images of Formula One cars idling, engines crackling (and/or cackling), sputtering as they prepare to hit the track in full precision force at top speed. The “solo acoustic percussion” that Ted Byrnes defines his work as has never sounded more “electronic” than what is presented on the B-side – that description should not betray the material’s authenticity, however, as its “purpose” has perhaps never been more fully realized than in these perfect emulations of short stroke engines. Compare the sounds to DAMION ROMERO’s “Idle” [recording of a 1968 Plymouth Road Runner idling in the driveway] and one would be hard pressed to say there is any difference between the “natural” sounds presented on both releases. The liner notes to “Idling¹”, a release by Byrnes and Sam McKinlay collaborative project CACKLE CAR, state “The physicality and visceral nature of rapid percussion sampled and interpreted with analog overdriven gate and bias fuzz effects. The resulting textural sound resembles an idling top fuel dragster engine” – an effect achieved by RITA-izing Byrnes’ percussion. Here on “Formula” the desired outcome is attained without electronic aid, and that speaks volumes to Ted’s ability and intent. After running a comparison to “Idling¹”, I immediately put this tape back on and found that whatever “other” sounds I had been hearing upon first listen simply did not exist and were likely a result of my own bias and/or preconceptions. “Hearing” something else is easy to do with contextless noise – of which none is lacking here. This is streamlined in such a profound way that it can be nothing other than Ted Byrnes’ “Formula”.
