For more than a decade, France?s C?dric Peyronnet has put out a steady stream of releases under the name Toy Bizarre that explore the use of field recordings. As Peyronnet insists, neither effects nor traditional instruments are added to the mix, only found sounds and editing. ?kdi dctb 039?, a new, 3? CD release on Ferns Recordings, mixes the pastoral with the industrial to achieve a thoroughly engrossing, sometimes enthralling listen.

Most of the one track on ?kdi dctb 039? could be considered ambient and is extremely sparse, but a strong sense of tension and dread permeate the disc throughout. Thankfully, the tension builds to several satisfying releases. The first few minutes of the disc even contain brief eruptions of sound that veer into the realm of harsh noise. It?s somewhat remarkable that Peyronnet can achieve such an aggressive aesthetic by utilizing only field recording, a practice which, at least on the surface, may seem to be quite passive.

Like any album relying heavily upon field recordings, there is a certain joy in simply recognizing and contextualizing sounds. Apart from a bit of birdsong (thankfully kept to a relative minimum), some of the most easily apparent and interesting samples come from the subtly menacing drones of airplanes overhead. Equally fascinating are the plethora of samples that sound uncannily like typical instruments, especially analog synth.

Clocking in at around twenty minutes, ?kdi dctb 039? comes nowhere close to wearing out its welcome. Unorthodox music-making methods aside, Peyronnet?s sounds and composition will satisfy and intrigue any adventurous listener willing to delve into the abstract. Though the name of the project might suggest otherwise, Toy Bizarre is anything but a novelty. 8/10 -- Franklin Teagle (19 December, 2007)