Remnants "Decayed Tones"
"Vision Being"
"Elusive Infinite"
"The Process"
"Skeptics"
"Tonal Fragments"
"Suspension"
"Surface Tension"
Have been really into musique concrete lately, and I think this guy from NY is one of the better people doing it right now. His tapes are usually kind of variations on a theme or different versions of the same idea, which can be a really good approach when done with care. In this case, I think he nails it every time. Each tape is vaguely similar in sound, containing mostly really decayed, bass-heavy loops of melodic and harsh sound. Often there is a dirty oscillator tone involved that creeps in and out. There is a lot of unusual editing and textures provided by oversaturation which makes this stuff sound really dark and dejected. Definitely excellent night-listening, especially now that it's getting colder here.
SSRI "split w/Fecalove"
"split w/Hippycrack"
"split w/Nunnaunni"
"Circle Of Positivity"
I could be really biased, because SSRI is one of my favorite projects, but compared to some of the older splits, it seems like SS Ofizier is continually making the project he does splits with pale in comparison. I did really like the Fecalove side (in particular the mix of PE and field recordings was perfect) but it just didn't have the cohesion and togetherness of the SSRI side. SS says he considers it to be among his weaker material, and I suppose I agree, but it's still pretty good, and the glitchy stuff actually entertains me instead of annoying the living shit out of me. SS said it was dubbed too quietly, but my copy was totally normal. The tracks seem to run together as stream-of-consciousness noise, which I like. From what I remember, the SSRI side of the Hippycrack split is mostly weird cut-ups, 'working man's' field recordings, and some pretty ingenious juxtaposition of baby sounds with harsh electronics. Pretty fucking unsettling, but not in an aggressive way. Weird, not creepy. Fuck yes! I have to admit I was really tired, and even nodded out a few times during the Hippycrack side, but I'll counter that if it was really that great, I would have woken up a bit and been compelled to pay more attention. Now...all the elements were there, crunchy pedal work, nice feedback, some possible metal sounds, nice cold textures...but somehow it never once caught my attention in a way that warranted any deeper observation. Oh well. SS side of the split w/Nunnaunni seemed to be culled from the same sessions. Lots of field recordings, electronics work that's cerebral and awkward, some fucked-up loops, and some more element's I'm lazily forgetting. I liked it equally to the Hippycrack split, however, Nunnaunni's side had a lot more competition to offer. Wasn't quite strong enough to make me go out and buy more of their shit immediately, but I'm sure I will in the future. Absolutely infuriating cut-ups and general strangeness with a totally playful, "fun" feeling. I think this shit would not appeal to folks that take themselves a bit too seriously, because it's a lot like sound effects from old Looney Tunes cartoons combined with noise and musique concrete. Works for me! I at times get tired of the similarities in cut-up harshness, so hearing some cut-up retardation was refreshing. Some of the jazz drumming and household objects sounds actually made me laugh out loud. Last but not least, "Circle Of Positivity." Basically sounds like the title. Really life-affirming yet somewhat difficult to listen to at times (like life in general?). Had more of the digital-ish glitchy stuff that I like yet hope is not an overarching theme for SSRI. "Ugly Spirits" sounds like just that and had more of the intense vinyl and tape manipulations similar to "Rebis." Don't have much else to say about it right now 'cause I want to give it another shot.
Shredded Nerve "Hanging In The Balance"
"Blurred Line"
More noisy musique concrete from the guy who also does Pusdrainer, which I have not heard. I love these tapes, this project. Really intense and steadily-building, but never attaining true harshness. I suppose this stuff isn't really full-on harsh noise. Extremely tasteful loops of what mostly sound like junk metal, rocks, water, and occasional synthesizer flourishes that never really take the lead. I like the linear, straightforward qualities similar to Remnants. Definitely not music, but not quite noise, either. Can say without a doubt I will get everything this guy puts out under this name. Someone should commission him for a film soundtrack.
Untergeschoss Compilation Vol. 1
The PE artists on this tape were really good, especially Shift (was nice to hear the second part to the track from F&V NJK Vol. 3) and Budrus (I immediately understood what they were talking about in Exoteric V when listening to this track) as well as Concrete Mascara (as time goes by, his stuff just sounds more and more alienated and isolated. Great!), but the noisecore acts stood out the most. I loved them all, but he's certainly right with the observation the Penis Geyser pretty much take the cake for current noisecore. I looked up a bunch of videos on YouTube after that, and was very pleased. Definitely picking up the "Noisecore Prolapse" tape now.
The Glass Path "Driving Music"
Musique Concrete and tape noise from an act I had not heard before putting the tape in, and couldn't have been more pleased. Over the past few years, the Swedish tape-manipulated sound has been growing on me like an STD, and I would guess the same for these people/this person. Side A is sort of disjointed, awkward, and stunted concrete music that has vibes of addiction and withdrawal. Don't know exactly why that came to mind, but it has something to do with the dirtiness of the sound. Certain parts are very loud and others are so quiet you have to crank it up (only to turn it back down again). Yes, please! Fucks with your expectations and comfort level like some of the older Prurient albums. Side B is more full-on harshness that sounds like a couple of tape decks signal routed to a mixer with some distortion pedals somewhere in the setup. Just pure crunching and decay from dusty, old tape sound. I am really into that approach, when done right. This track is just a step below older Sewer Election and Treriksroset. I will certainly be getting more stuff from this project.
...and a staple favorite, Sick Seed "The Great Corrupter." This isn't just one of my favorites when speaking of genre confinements, it's one of my all-time favorite albums period. It's so personal, so intimate, yet aggressive and large as fuck, almost reaching oppressive qualities, as in "Verbranntes Land." The bass line in that song has to be one of the most easily stuck-in-your-head pieces for me. Rarely does the vocal presentation in a PE record sound this emotional yet distantly intelligent, a good example would be "A Plague Area." "Irstaasta Ja Siveettömästä Elämästä," which translates to "a dissolute and immoral life" should be considered a "Power Electronics Anthem," if there were any. The phrase and song "Luxurious Disease" describes exactly why I am a fan of Sick Seed (and Gelsomina). "The Most Hated Crime Of Them All" is musically just flawless. Similar to Ultra, the piano and guitar sound more disturbing than the typical synth and feedback approach, especially due to the lyrics and subject matter. I think one of the reasons I appreciate this song so much is that I have known individuals who have...been subjected to that crime. And the perpetrators. It's indeed true that the family will be standing around waiting for them to die. Many seem to forget that the ugliest qualities in this type of music have to be real and verifiable, not just some obsession, fantasy, or hidden lust. Perfect album.
