HiRez Poll King Crimson - THE RECONSTRUKCTION OF LIGHT [DVD-Audio/Blu-Ray Audio]

[rtbluray]

Please post your thoughts and comments on this 2019 release from King Crimson called "The ReconstruKction of Light".
This release includes a brand new remix (including newly recorded drums by King Crimson drummer Pat Mastelotto) of the 2000 album "The ConstruKction of Light" in both 5.1 surround and stereo, mixed by the band's manager and audio engineer David Singleton. All new mixes were approved by the set’s Executive Producer Robert Fripp.

The 5.1 surround mix has been released as a CD/DVDA-V set, and it is also included on Blu-Ray within the 2019 box set "Heaven & Earth".

 

[Plan9]

First voter! XD
I listened to the surround mix last night, at low volume because it was late, so I reserve my final judgement after another more full-on listening session (or maybe it won't change my vote).

First I must say this is the KC album I know the least and I struggle with the most, so this might influence my appreciation of the mix.
Nonetheless I really like what DS did with the mix. Of course it sounds more open and makes it easier to follow this dense music, as all good surround mixes should. I feel perhaps on the whole it wasn't as "aggressive" and well-integrated as a SW or ES mix, but there are evidently some very discrete things and surprises sprinkled throughout. I think the new real drums are an improvement, but I feel they are mixed a little too brightly for me, with the accent on the cymbals (that's what I feel for the stereo remix as well). Overall though, it is more enjoyable than either stereo mixes for me, so maybe the surround will be my gateway to the album; again, like every good surround mix should!

 

[Albert Dagger]

Plan9, what are your favourite tracks in surround? I've found the new drums to work particularly well in the heavy tracks.... but my opinion is based on having listened to the stereo remix only (for now!).

 

[Plan9]

Plan9, what are your favourite tracks in surround? I've found the new drums to work particularly well in the heavy tracks.... but my opinion is based on having listened to the stereo remix only (for now!).

I'd have to listen some more. I will post here when I do.

 

[kap'n krunch]

my 1st impression was a "logical" one, a bunch of things "reimagined" by PM's new drums but also a lot of mixing decisions I would have not agreed on..BUT , since everybody's a critic, I might as well take it all in with several grains of salt.... I had always loved PM's electronic drums in the original album.. oh well, I guess this 'rework" is better then NO rework or.. a kick in the pants(???)

 

[blue.monk]

I'm glad that this and Power to Believe were made available outside of the expensive box set. I'm not a big enough fan of this era to have sprung for it. (Re) ConstruKction does have its moments (my favorite being the re-vamped FraKctured) but overall the mix, material and fidelity fall well short of the classic '69-'81 output mixed by Steven Wilson IMHO. Nonetheless, it's a good listen and I'd give it a solid 8.

 

[hwkn]

I too gave it an 8.It just didn't quite have the clarity of the best King Crimson 5.1 mixes especially in the vocals[i was glad i had the lyrics or at times I wouldn't have known what Adrian was singing].

 

[key_wiz]

I like this album more than I thought I would based on general reviews I have read of the music. Turns out I’m simply a bigger fan of these later incarnations of KC than many others. I find the music highly enjoyable.

The surround mix is very good. Having not been familiar with this album at all prior to hearing it in this mix and presentation, I find nothing at all to complain about.

A “9”

 

[kap'n krunch]

I like this album more than I thought I would based on general reviews I have read of the music. Turns out I’m simply a bigger fan of these later incarnations of KC than many others. I find the music highly enjoyable.

The surround mix is very good. Having not been familiar with this album at all prior to hearing it in this mix and presentation, I find nothing at all to complain about.

A “9”

Welcome to the (tiny) club...this lineup was really outtathisworld....I think that TCOL and TPTB was some of the most groundbreaking music EVER... so much so that they have NOT realeased anything NEW since (everybody forgets that very important detail... how can you surpass that ???)

 

[Matt Wilson]

Oh, it's fine, but nothing special. Both the mix and the album itself are no great shakes, but hell - it's KC, and Crimson never released a bad album.

8

 

[Jazzer]

The new mix is a vast improvement in clarity over the original. I appreciate the effort that went into this.

 

[quicksrt]

I'd have to listen some more. I will post here when I do.

well, and....................?

 

[newslane]

Welcome to the (tiny) club...this lineup was really outtathisworld....I think that TCOL and TPTB was some of the most groundbreaking music EVER... so much so that they have NOT realeased anything NEW since (everybody forgets that very important detail... how can you surpass that ???)

I agree completely. Amazing that a band's final album could possibly be its best.

 

[jimfisheye]

I was sure I posted to this before... Maybe it was a pre release thread?

I've gone back and tried to listen to this a few times now. The drum overdubs just flat out don't work. It has the stiff herky jerky micro timing issues that come from trying to overdub drums after the fact throughout. The original drums timing (for good and bad) is baked into the performance in all the original tracks.

It IS a shame this one can't be remixed! This album will always have that "fan club" aesthetic. Most of the tracks can be found much stronger in live versions. Frying Pan was the most unique track here with the bucking the drum loop pocket Pat had going that had this bad ass feel to it. They struggled to reproduce that one live. It's been just erased in this remix! The rest of the instruments left dancing with an invisible partner.

Still pretty sad about the announced 5.1 remix of Heaven and Earth MIA from the set too! Perhaps those multitracks are hanging out with Pat's original drums on a hard drive in a landfill somewhere? I really hope someone/anyone goes through my hard drives if my plug gets pulled too soon!

 

[Plan9]

well, and....................?

Forgot about this, it's been a while, sorry.
My opinion from the first post stands. I don't like the *mixing* of the new drums. Very bright. The remix *overall* is an improvement, but it's not a KC album I like and listen to enough to have a more precise review...
Changed my vote from an 8 to a 7.

 

[madscot]

I’m trying to listen to the Heaven and earth album and only getting silence, the screen shows the track time running but nothing coming out, do I have a faulty disc or what?
EDIT
I tried it again after playing the 5.1 mix of TROL and it worked! My player has never done that before, very strange

 

[Malhomme]

Very disapointed. I expected much of this new version (on DVD-A, I did not get the BR). Music is great, I am not going to comment on that. BUT the surround mix is so unhapenning. Construkction of light was an obvious choice for that. I foresaw note passing from Fripp to Belew to be dispatched in space, but no. It is dull and obviously not of interest for David Singleton. I never fancied his mixing, it often sounds congested and over compressed. This is why I prefer by far Sylvian directed mix of Damage over the first edition by Singleton.
And PLEEEEZE. What is the point of new drums if you hardly hear drums at all. On othe other side, Trey Gunn has a GREAT sound. Except it feels twice as loud as anything else.
Darn, please someone give Reconstrucktion of Light to Steven Wilson. I cast a 5 because I am being nice.

 

[anibal]

Very disapointed. I expected much of this new version (on DVD-A, I did not get the BR).

"And you'll never please everybody
It's a well-established fact"

Music is great, I am not going to comment on that.

I am happy to see that someone else finds this music great, I think this a criminally underrated record, suffering mostly because of it context.

BUT the surround mix is so unhapenning. Construkction of light was an obvious choice for that. I foresaw note passing from Fripp to Belew to be dispatched in space, but no. It is dull and obviously not of interest for David Singleton. I never fancied his mixing, it often sounds congested and over compressed. This is why I prefer by far Sylvian directed mix of Damage over the first edition by Singleton.

It is interesting to read that you are so disappointed with the spatiality, that is what I liked the most about this release! (DVD-A too). I do not find it dull, it is actually very engaging to me.

And PLEEEEZE. What is the point of new drums if you hardly hear drums at all. On othe other side, Trey Gunn has a GREAT sound. Except it feels twice as loud as anything else.

I kind of agree with the above statement, maybe not in the same magnitude: the drums are not loud enough and Trey Gunn is mixed a bit too loud.

Darn, please someone give Reconstrucktion of Light to Steven Wilson.

That would be interesting, but very unlikely. We all know SW only mixes what he likes, and he is not very fond of this particular KC album or era.

I cast a 5 because I am being nice.

Wow! This is a "weak" 8 for me, amazing how little of a story a lonely can tell.

@Malhomme , I wanted to write this post in a conversational way, nothing against your view

As I said earlier, I think this album suffers a lot from context. You have THRAK and The Power to Believe on the chronological sides, two masterpieces that makes this one fall a bit behind. Also, there are better versions of all the tracks in later live performances.
The live drums disappointed me a bit too. I actually _wanted_ to prefer them, but for me, the electronic and compressed sounds of the original added a lot to the industrial vibe. Don't get me wrong, I think Patt did an amazing job overdubbing the new drums and I don't hear timing problems at all, but it does sound less exciting to me.

So, to summarize: I love the original album, and I prefer it to the reconstruction, I love the spatial placement of the 5.1 mix, but I would prefer a punchier and more present drum sound. This last point actually improves towards the end of the album.

 

[Malhomme]

@anibal : Thanks for this elaborated answer. I really enjoyed reading your post !