Mongrel Tactics / Häkki - untitledCassette, Brownhill Mafia & Salamanauhat, 2021. Edition of 100 copies.
This split features two perhaps less known Finnish projects. I think this split still remains the latest release by Häkki, a collaboration of Pentti Dassum and Jaakko Vanhala. On the flipside there's Mongrel Tactics that has since done a split tape with Abysse Des Âmes. I haven't heard it, but I've seen some comments that Abysse's side would rival their Satatuhatta-LP in quality, so, obviously I'd like to. The tape's dubbing quality is really good and the dark-toned minimalistic cover art shows a good eye for design as well.
The opening track by Mongrel Tactics is bleak (death) industrial thumping that moves fairly slow and steady. It creates a strong atmosphere, but perhaps due to being a fairly short opener, it feels like an intro of what's to come. The song ends quite abruptly to make room for its follow-up track that's based on low humming drone, excellently controlled rising and waning waves of feedback, and harsh distorted vocals. While it's not rigid, everything seems to be wielded with methodically clear intent and purpose. The feedback eventually fades into the background with other hoarse and high-pitch sounds, while the foreground is taken over by a rumbling mass of murky distortion that has a very pleasing (I'm guessing) analogically blown-out texture. Eventually the rumbling fades, and the sparsely heard feedback gets paired with really tasty sounds of rattling and rustling with unspecified physical objects. All in all, the side displays strength in its atmosphere, craftmanship and the used sounds. It still seems to hold back, so if they make a longer recording at some point, I hope it has moments where that pent-up something is let out to roam.
It seems unplanned, but Häkki's side starts where Mongrel Tactics' side ended. There's rustling with physical objects or field recordings of the like, but this time they're offered with a heavy delay effect. This sound slowly mutates into chirping and warbling "insect electronics" similar to what Dassum has since done with Kartio and Vanhala with Primitive Wings. There's a backing of controlled industrial ambience, and on its surface, a constantly mutating assortment of microsounds that sound both watery and electronic. They have a distinct cassette sound to them, but I can't tell if it's what the source sounds were recorded on or what they were later manipulated with (or both). As a suitable pairing with the methodical approach of Mongrel Tactics, there's no element or feel of showing off here either, but the vision and quality of craftmanship shines through absolutely clearly without it being forced to do so. There's a lot to hear during the 15 minutes per project, but I'd say I would've liked to hear even more from both!
The tape can be heard here:
https://brownhillmafia.bandcamp.com/album/split-2You can also check out the mentioned Mongrel Tactics / Abysse Des Âmes split tape on that bandcamp page.
