At the heart of In a Paraventral Scale is “BMW Shuanghuan X5,” a mesmerizing track featuring the sounds of two doppler-shifting BMW engines that are eventually buried under the weight of Gamble’s mechanical synthesis. As the piece progresses, a lush string section mimics the sound of the engines until the two are nearly indistinguishable. Named after a Chinese car replication company, “Shuanghuan” is more than a clever use of texture—according to Gamble, who is the son of a mechanic, it’s a crucial symbol of the project.
“Cars are symbolic of late capitalism… because a car can relate to Fordism, mass production, the idea of ‘a car for everyone,'” he says. “They can be functional; they can be made to appear masculine or feminine, made to represent nationhood. They’re commodities that are close to environmental change, land grabs, and taxation. Cars fit into the idea of an object of desire that’s always spinning around in front of you, and [are] always being advertised to us.”