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#21
GENERAL SOUND DISCUSSION / Re: PLAYLIST with COMMENTS/REV...
Last post by Minus1 - Today at 04:24:50 AM
Quote from: Fistfuck Masonanie on Today at 03:26:39 AMMerzbow & John Wiese - Akashaplexia

Finally getting around to listening to this anticipated and massive release.

The two artists share a number of releases together now, but they have all been mail collabs or live recorded performances to this point. Never an in studio release before. I'm very curious about what that process was like. What kind of concepts or boundaries did they discuss before hitting record, if any, or is it all off the cuff?

When I first read that this was recorded in a single day, I imagined the two sitting in a room and fleshing out a vision for an entire multi-disc album and completing it in that same day. Which seemed astonishing.

Now listening, what seems more likely, is that the two jammed in studio and then John took those recordings and edited or arranged them together for the final product. I would be very surprised otherwise with how highly articulate the sounds are and how they transition at what would be a "telekinetic" pace for a live collaboration.

Disc 1 | Garden Path Sentence:
Highly erratic and fast-paced audio collage. Many details flow in and out of focus, piano and percussive samples, manipulated tape warble, and/or vinyl tabletop abuse. At times, it reminds me of Masami's 80s output in the more dadaistic realm. There is a segment that feels like getting sucked into a tornado. Glimpses of voices cut through the wind, and great samples of glass shards and debris are flying about. As the 45-minute track progresses, it transitions flawlessly in and out of new segments. Some are harsher, some focus on looped and sampled elements from a wide variety of timbres and resources. It never dips into completely familiar or expected territories and kept me actively listening throughout. There are no lulls. Always something squiggling under the microscope to zoom in on. New details are being introduced and just as quickly and cleverly pulled away.

Disc 2 | Bleskam (Action Sphere / Maya):
This transitions nicely from the first disc. A little more subdued audio collage starts things off. Not as frantic and fast-paced as disc 1. Sounds like an old record needle jumping from vinyl to vinyl and catching small pieces of melodies, but never lasting long enough to identify a source. Actually reminded me of Max J Eastman a bit. It transitions into this Alice in Wonderland-like nightmare with chiming clocks, psychedelic bits, and a loop that sounds like it originated from the basement of an insane asylum. This disc feels strikingly similar in spirit to something like a modern-day Batztoutai with Material Gadgets, which I was really surprised to hear Masami do in this day and age. I really enjoyed this disc, and it's my favorite so far.

Disc 3 | Glass Has Vanished:
Disc 3 starts off ominous... a bass tone undulating at a low volume. Mechanical creaking loops in an unsettling fashion. What sounds like radio play creeps into the mix. This isn't the first time on this boxset either. I can't tell if it's tried and true old school radio play, or just the way samples are sliced and diced. It certainly replicates that feel, which is another factor of this release that reminds me of experimental 80s Merzbow like Batztoutai. From there, we get one of the rare instances of some sweeping noise filters or more traditional pedal like harsh noise. Not a lot of that across the discs so far. Everything I've described above has already happened in the first 5 minutes. While this disc is not a straight-up harsh noise track, it has the most harsh noise elements of any of the discs so far. My other favorite element on this particular disc is the haunting and dissonant use of church organ in the second half. Bizarre and fantastic.

Disc 4 | Higashiikebukuro Bouquet Divisions:
Bubbling, percolating, and squiggly synthesizer soup with white noise blasts. Easily the harshest start to any of the discs. The first two hours were just warm up! John and Masami start cooking with gas now. All of the previously mentioned elements through the discs, like loops, sampling, and other audio collage is still very present on this disc. Everything is just kicked up a notch on the harshness meter. It also really builds into a schizophrenic frenzy with how quickly the sounds are spliced in and out. There is also this screeching string instrument introduced that really cuts through the mix. At the peak of madness... it cuts out, and we get the closest thing to silence across the 4 discs yet. John and Masami tinker with more microcosmic details and mechanical jerky loops which build back up gradually into new frenzies.

I mentioned earlier, but I have been extremely impressed and surprised by this release. I wasn't sure what to expect and assumed it would be more of a collection of "live" long-form improvised pedal and laptop noise jams similar to the recent EKA Varna, but more thought-out and thematic than that release. However, what we get is a highly detailed, articulated, and meticulously arranged amalgam of audio collage. Somewhat similar to 80s Merzbow dadaist releases like Batztoutai. Very nice.

Aw Man, great writeup! Thanks. My fav of last year.
#22
Merzbow & John Wiese - Akashaplexia

Finally getting around to listening to this anticipated and massive release.

The two artists share a number of releases together now, but they have all been mail collabs or live recorded performances to this point. Never an in studio release before. I'm very curious about what that process was like. What kind of concepts or boundaries did they discuss before hitting record, if any, or is it all off the cuff?

When I first read that this was recorded in a single day, I imagined the two sitting in a room and fleshing out a vision for an entire multi-disc album and completing it in that same day. Which seemed astonishing.

Now listening, what seems more likely, is that the two jammed in studio and then John took those recordings and edited or arranged them together for the final product. I would be very surprised otherwise with how highly articulate the sounds are and how they transition at what would be a "telekinetic" pace for a live collaboration.

Disc 1 | Garden Path Sentence:
Highly erratic and fast-paced audio collage. Many details flow in and out of focus, piano and percussive samples, manipulated tape warble, and/or vinyl tabletop abuse. At times, it reminds me of Masami's 80s output in the more dadaistic realm. There is a segment that feels like getting sucked into a tornado. Glimpses of voices cut through the wind, and great samples of glass shards and debris are flying about. As the 45-minute track progresses, it transitions flawlessly in and out of new segments. Some are harsher, some focus on looped and sampled elements from a wide variety of timbres and resources. It never dips into completely familiar or expected territories and kept me actively listening throughout. There are no lulls. Always something squiggling under the microscope to zoom in on. New details are being introduced and just as quickly and cleverly pulled away.

Disc 2 | Bleskam (Action Sphere / Maya):
This transitions nicely from the first disc. A little more subdued audio collage starts things off. Not as frantic and fast-paced as disc 1. Sounds like an old record needle jumping from vinyl to vinyl and catching small pieces of melodies, but never lasting long enough to identify a source. Actually reminded me of Max J Eastman a bit. It transitions into this Alice in Wonderland-like nightmare with chiming clocks, psychedelic bits, and a loop that sounds like it originated from the basement of an insane asylum. This disc feels strikingly similar in spirit to something like a modern-day Batztoutai with Material Gadgets, which I was really surprised to hear Masami do in this day and age. I really enjoyed this disc, and it's my favorite so far.

Disc 3 | Glass Has Vanished:
Disc 3 starts off ominous... a bass tone undulating at a low volume. Mechanical creaking loops in an unsettling fashion. What sounds like radio play creeps into the mix. This isn't the first time on this boxset either. I can't tell if it's tried and true old school radio play, or just the way samples are sliced and diced. It certainly replicates that feel, which is another factor of this release that reminds me of experimental 80s Merzbow like Batztoutai. From there, we get one of the rare instances of some sweeping noise filters or more traditional pedal like harsh noise. Not a lot of that across the discs so far. Everything I've described above has already happened in the first 5 minutes. While this disc is not a straight-up harsh noise track, it has the most harsh noise elements of any of the discs so far. My other favorite element on this particular disc is the haunting and dissonant use of church organ in the second half. Bizarre and fantastic.

Disc 4 | Higashiikebukuro Bouquet Divisions:
Bubbling, percolating, and squiggly synthesizer soup with white noise blasts. Easily the harshest start to any of the discs. The first two hours were just warm up! John and Masami start cooking with gas now. All of the previously mentioned elements through the discs, like loops, sampling, and other audio collage is still very present on this disc. Everything is just kicked up a notch on the harshness meter. It also really builds into a schizophrenic frenzy with how quickly the sounds are spliced in and out. There is also this screeching string instrument introduced that really cuts through the mix. At the peak of madness... it cuts out, and we get the closest thing to silence across the 4 discs yet. John and Masami tinker with more microcosmic details and mechanical jerky loops which build back up gradually into new frenzies.

I mentioned earlier, but I have been extremely impressed and surprised by this release. I wasn't sure what to expect and assumed it would be more of a collection of "live" long-form improvised pedal and laptop noise jams similar to the recent EKA Varna, but more thought-out and thematic than that release. However, what we get is a highly detailed, articulated, and meticulously arranged amalgam of audio collage. Somewhat similar to 80s Merzbow dadaist releases like Batztoutai. Very nice.
#23
GENERAL SOUND DISCUSSION / Re: Loneliness in noise?
Last post by Cranial Blast - Today at 12:01:13 AM
Coming back to last part of the topic about how some are more creative to create by themselves in their own private space and how some others maybe need a push from others like in bands or just need the support from a collective of other types of artists. I think one thing that dramatically shifted in favor of the solo, one man band artists is simply modern technology with fast internet, mobile phones that are essentially pocket computers, ect. Those tools have allowed for this to be simpler, where back in the day pre-internet people were a lot more inclined to find other likeminded individuals to learn from one another, bands especially. What's interesting about technology being this tool is that it creates a sort isolation, because information is available at your finger tips in a matter of seconds. One no longer needs to practice or get information by going to a place anymore, they can just watch some YouTube tutorials. Kind of goes back to the loneliness factor again as we kind lose the physical connectivity with human interactions. I remember years ago before smart phone people would interact at a gig and now a days it seems like more people are interested in documenting the gig with their phones. I use to go to many shows back 15-20 years ago and it seemed like people would go have a smoke or drink and talk! What I've noticed now on the rare chance I'll go out that people will spend far more time looking at their screens, even when they are outside smoking and you can watch this phenomenon everywhere for that matter, but definitely feels odd when band goes on stage and use to be met with horns and now it's met by screens! Haha, It's definitely weird, but yeah makes one who doesn't feel the need to document gig feel like a stranger in strange land to say the least! I'm speaking on my own recent experiences, but perhaps that's not always how it is. Hope not going to off the topic, but I think technology has given the solo type of artist a great platform to be able to preform, but in some ways modern technology has definitely made us more isolated as well.
#24
GENERAL SOUND DISCUSSION / Re: PLAYLIST with COMMENTS/REV...
Last post by k.p.g - January 26, 2026, 11:42:21 PM
Coyote Sinkers - Silo Shuckers (American Tapes)
Speculum Spyked - Speculum Spyked (American Tapes)
Two LPs from the frozen depths of Michigan to help zone out after about an hour of shoveling snow this afternoon.  Something always cool about these mid-2000's LP from American is how they can really be played at any speed for your enjoyment (ask the man himself, he approves of the move).  I usually default to doing them on 33rpm, as that just means a great stretch of Inzanity, but decided to see what Coyote Sinkers would be like on 45. 

This group is a solid duo of Olson & Dilloway, and I am pretty sure it is the jam that led them to eventually forming Casket Sinkers.  Whereas that group has more of a balance in sounds between the two, this iteration feels more like Dilloway is playing second fiddle to Olson's horn and scrap madness.  On 45, it's a good effort, and reminds me of what later efforts from groups like Crazy Doberman would go on to do.

Speculum Spyked is Olson and Damion Romero.  Interesting, as I thought that the latter retired the Speculum Fight persona a while before this LP.  Well, let's not focus hard on semantics; this LP is great.  I play it strictly on 33.  Couldn't imagine it sped up. It's just so monolithic in a slower zone.  And given the styles of these two, they pair surprisingly well!  Olson let's Romero's sound haunt the majority of the mix, never overplaying too much.  This is a far chiller listen to wind into the evening with between the two records.
#25
GENERAL SOUND DISCUSSION / Re: PLAYLIST with COMMENTS/REV...
Last post by k.p.g - January 26, 2026, 09:17:54 PM
Quote from: Minus1 on January 26, 2026, 02:54:14 AMKnown Victims shows up here (on CD) as track 6 of 9. (It's a different placement on the LP, right?) I know that many dislike this 13min that "disrupts the flow/feel of the album". For me it's perfectly placed. I need a fucking break from "G.R." at that point. ("Break" might be the wrong word. Sorry.)

I really do not understand this take from people.  For me, "Known Victims" is the peak of this record, perhaps being only topped by "Kenworth."
#26
GENERAL SOUND DISCUSSION / Re: PLAYLIST with COMMENTS/REV...
Last post by DBL - January 26, 2026, 08:32:46 PM
Impur - A Live To Ruin
Cassette, Marbre Negre, 2025.

This tape is the first I've heard from the Spanish harsh noise duo Impur. It has a 20-minute rehearsal recording on side A and a little shorter live session on side B, and it's all dubbed loud and clear. The covers are pro-printed but don't really offer much to see.

I wasn't too keen on the rehearsal side, mainly due to the somewhat dull and usual overall sound that makes it seem more one-dimensional than it has potential for. Especially the abusing of an electric guitar in the beginning sounds too much exactly like that due to the fairly clear sound, and the humming discords are too loud compared to the more abstract sounds and distortion. The tape starts with its worst material, which makes sense as it's probably the beginning of a rehearsal session, but I would've just cut that part out for the tape.

What follows is fairly mellow tempoed, raw and freeform harsh noise. It can be great when it hits its goal, like with the screeching feedback or oscillator squeaking paired with fast distorted rumbling, but the duller and more usual moments are too plentiful. The A-side is at its very best just before it ends, as then it's more stripped down and the crackley and stuttering sounds can stand out better from the general mass of distortion.

The flipside's live recording starts with an oddly broken and crackling sound, but luckily it gets fixed soon as there are some really tasty sounds here! It starts similarly with a guitar, but its broken and wailing sound makes it much more interesting than on the rehearsal side. The sound elements are similar (crummy guitar strums, rumbling pedal harshness, nasty vocal sounds), but they're delivered with a grainier and dirtier sound which gives everything more bite. It all seems to flow onwards with more intent. Similarly to the A-side, the live set gets more effective and interesting as it goes on, and ends at its high point with some wet and juicy textures.

I'm not sure if the duo's aim in general is to just blast everything live and loud, but based on the live set I'd say they could make pretty interesting recordings if they pre-planned and rehearsed more with their setup. It's a good combo of flooding dirt, breaking/crackling sounds and cleaner oscillations that could be used to a greater effect. It shows promise even as it is, though.

The whole tape on bandcamp: https://marbrenegre.bandcamp.com/album/a-live-to-ruin

If someone has heard the project's tapes on Cipher Productions or Phage Tapes, I'd be interested in hearing comments.
#27
GENERAL SOUND DISCUSSION / Re: YLEINEN NOISE FIILISTELY S...
Last post by junkyardshaman - January 26, 2026, 07:46:15 PM
Ja itse olen toisinaan miettinyt, pitäisikö tehdä joko tekstin tai jonkun podcastin muodossa joku sellainen hässäkkä missä haastattelen tai kasaan ihan vaan Japanin nykytouhuja, mutta tavallaan se tuntuu typerältä, koska olen ollut itse enimmäkseen kädet savessa koko ajan. En minä ole mikään arkistoija-tyyppi, vaan hyvinkin pitkälti osa sitä aktiivista tekijäporukkaa, niin ei kiinnosta sillä tavalla hukata aikaa tekemisestä siitä puhumiseen. Se tuntuu sitten enemmän muiden jutuilta, ja voin kyllä auttaa niissä sitten joskus sen minkä kykenen.

Kun kuitenkin koen, että kaikki nämä ihmiset on aivan järjettömän upeita tekemisissään, eikä mielestäni edes suuremmin vertaudu niihin vanhoihin tekijöihin (tuo mainittu pohdinta koski muistaakseni juuri sitä, että jos nykytekijöitä kuuntelee ajatuksella, että "noniin, nyt on sitä klassista ja taattua japanoisea!" niin edessä saattaa olla antikliimaksi, vaikka kaikilla on hyvinkin omalaatuinen ja hieno meno), niin olen pyrkinyt sitten levittämään sanaa edes interneteissä ja juurikin noilla Wiren jutuilla ja kaikella muulla, millä vaan voin jeesata.

Viime aikoina olen keskittynyt järkkäämään japanilaisille kavereille keikkoja Taiwanissa tai yhdistelemään lomailijoita paikallisiin kokeellisen musiikin tekijöihin. Toki jos joku sieltäkin päin näille nurkille eksyy, niin eiköhän sitä aina jotain kykene järjestämään. Taiwanissa on itse tullut oltua vasta puolisen vuotta ja koen, että itseäni paremmin kiinaa puhuvia ulkomaalaisia on täällä puljaamassa riittävästi, niin sitä myöten tämän tallentaminen ei tunnu ihan niin tärkeältä, kuin tuon Japanin kohdalla.
#28
GENERAL SOUND DISCUSSION / Re: YLEINEN NOISE FIILISTELY S...
Last post by junkyardshaman - January 26, 2026, 07:32:22 PM
Quote from: host body on January 22, 2026, 10:12:30 AMKierrätyskassuissa ärsyttää että ne ei ole just tasan oikean pitusia, heh. Tää on oma viiraus jolla ei tietenkään ole paljon väliä.
Nämähän tietysti leikellään ja teippaillaan itse oikean mittaisiksi. Aikanaan sain läjän kirjaston kassuja, joista osaan oli merkitty vaikka C42, joka helpotti duunia vähän, paitsi silloin kun olin mitoittanut puolet täsmälleen noin, eikä siellä ollutkaan 20-21 minuuttia, vaan tuuliin 19:30, jolloin se koko 20 minuutin nauhoitus meni vituiksi siksi, että outron häntä jäi pois, sitten kirottiin ja merkittiin oikea mitta kasettiin ja käytettiin seuraavan kerran sitten, kun sille mahtuva julkaisu oli käsillä.
Yhdellä kitaranoisekassulla tuli käytettyä Leo Mellerin kassujakin niin, että jätin sen B-puolelle höpisemään ja näin ollen pistelin siis splittejä Mellerin kanssa noisemarkkinoille ihan tosta vaan.
#29
GENERAL SOUND DISCUSSION / Re: WHITE CENTIPEDE NOISE PODC...
Last post by WCN - January 26, 2026, 07:31:39 PM
OUT NOW - NOISE RESOLUTIONS on WCN Podcast
In this special episode, previous podcast guests, supporters and WCN share plans, wishes, and goals for 2026. Full episode out now on all public channels.
#30
GENERAL SOUND DISCUSSION / Re: Loneliness in noise?
Last post by k.p.g - January 26, 2026, 07:25:04 PM
anyone want a hug?