Did you ever go to reorganize the tapes on your shelves, and pull out a bunch of stuff you'd forgotten about, or couldn't remember how it sounded? I love that. Of course, most of these are items I've just received,but here and there some hidden gems might pop up.
Ashpa "Felelet" CS (Sound Holes)
Totally minimalist field recordings with an eerie atmosphere, some crumbling acoustic noises, and very monotonous, but slightly evolving synthesizer drones open the A-side. Matthias G. gives this tape a pretty bad review in Fordamning #10, saying things like "this stuff was over 5 years ago," and "I'm pretty bored of the introverted bedroom tape loop projects." That's the pot calling the kettle black, if I've ever heard of such a thing. He describes this stuff as akin to some Sewer Election and Knaekkede Stemmer, and that might be true, but my honest initial comparison was that of some of the Altar of Flies material I've heard! I guess sometimes you just don't listen to yourself when writing a review, myself included, of course. One thing Matthias points out is that this tape is not super exciting – but I haven't a clue who would consider this as such. Another thought which came to mind is that this might be the work of a younger artist, trying their hand at their own take on "tape noise," perhaps even without awareness of the aforementioned projects. It sounds very much so, in that I like the overcast and dreary atmosphere, but it barely counts as even a "sketch," let alone an actual composition. This project has a ways to go and probably would have to develop itself more before I entirely disagree with what M.G. had to say. B-side opens to very much the same forumla, this time different synthesizer tone-drone, and more space and movement within whatever field recording is added. This piece in particular reminds me of the dairy farms growing up in Vermont as a kid – they look pretty pastoral, but a cow or farmer's life is indeed a hard, bleak, and uncertain one. Mikko once said "ruralist noise" to describe Daniel Menche, and hot damn, this is a good example of that atmosphere, even if there is absolutely nothing original or new about this. The second piece features some more subtle synthesizer accompaniment in the form of very quiet Bianchiesque swirls – compliments the background wind and drone very well. Very, very quickly, the piece fades to silence and then a buzzing synthesizer note similar to the A-side track makes it's way in. Things get more interesting when it sounds like the button malfunctions and some gravelly riverbed field recordings introduce themselves among extremely quiet high-end PE tones. Things get a little eerier as a sort of dismal tone arises from the buzzing of before, this is kind of like certain Puce Mary samples I've heard – not at all a bad thing, if you ask me. Although this is firmly in the "noise muzak" category, you might like this if you like the projects mentioned in this review. Matthias would probably think me rather dull to draw the comparison, but this section is a whole lot like two out of the four Arv & Miljo tapes I once owned, especially the way the buzzing synth tone lies underneath the field recording of water, and the manner in which rocks can he heard. If you like introductions to obscure projects, pick this up; if you prefer people to master their vision before you experience it, avoid this one. I recommend this to the Swedish tape nerds, against the advice of the leader of their pack!
Hal Hutchinson "Industrial Development (Locked Loops)" CS (Freak Animal)
I had been hoping that Hal would do something along these lines since I'd first bought "Taste of Iron" and the Recycled tape on RRR. Although this isn't quite the looping of junk abuse sections I'd imagined, this is definitely still what I would like to hear, as far as loops are concerned. These all appear to be job-site recordings which are layered slightly or simply recorded well enough to incorporate all frequencies. Each loop lasts about two mintues, not really enough time to develop and sink in fully, but each one is interesting on its' own nonetheless, especially when additional layering seems to start to happen. My basic hope for society is that any normal man has done some kind of labor-intensive industry work such as construction, development, landscaping, or what-have-you, and if you both enjoy industrial-related musics and have worked/work in these fields, there is really no reason you should not enjoy this. As a little kid growing up, I got to indulge my interest in heavy machinery and construction vehicles from a young age, learning about specifics of construction and demolition from various family members, friends of the family, and friends' fathers – I never lost that love for the sounds and functions of these intense machines, and am glad to see that there are others who feel the same way. In my opinion, this helps to distance industrial from the sort of artsy over-intellectualization that you get in so many projects – back to the roots, if you will. I feel strongly that totally-middle-class folks who've not experienced difficult jobs and a harder life don't have much ground to stand on when it comes to appreciating this kind of gritty, as-it-is sort of music. Hopefully we will see more of the cutesy little hipsters be turned off by this sort of thing, as most of them have never even worked a real shift in their lives anyway, let alone at the kind of job sites I hear on this tape. I'm thinking cement mixers, backhoe, jackhammer, a crane, maybe some kind of lathe? I notice a distinct outdoor equipment feeling to some of these loops, while others strike me as indoor industrial machinery. I tried making field recordings of various machines at the Ruger factory where one of my old roommates worked, but never really got anything clear and distinct enough. The beauty is that they all produce these wonderful sounds, and I am probably totally far-off from what some of them actually are. Again, though, this tape brings back some heavy-duty nostalgic feelings, pun not intended – recalling trips to the dump with my grandpa to watch cars and washing machines be compacted almost gets me choked up! Nice to hear a tape that connects back to some of my favorite childhood memories. One absolutely stunning aspect I've noticed when flipping to the B-side is that the non-US manufacturers make much queieter equipment – probably better for your hearing, at the end of the day, and I did note that none of these looped sounds are adulterated by beeping noises of trucks backing up and motors idling like lots of my field recordings are, haha. Pick this up, if you miss out, you're an asshole, go work at your little clerical job filing papers. I'm kidding, or am I?
The Glass Path "Driving Music" (Drugged Conscience)
I bought this like two years ago and don't recall ever listening to it, even though it was halfway through side A when I opened the case. Whoops. Oh well, this is good stuff, if you like field recordings, broken electronics, and the most non-musical type of tape manipulations possible. This is totally non-entertaining field recordings of what I assume are pretty mundane, everyday sources/situations manipulated to some kind of relatively uneasy effect. Conversations, wind, silence, machinery atmospherics. The manipulations here are all corrosion, head-blocking, warping, flutter, some saturation, and stop-pause-forward-reverse-button-editing. I like this a lot, it's really nothing like the Swedish stuff I mentioned above, this is like, a total outsider's take on tape noise. This reminds me of my earliest efforts at doing this kind of thing, around 15 or 16 years old – it really sounds like this is someone's idea of noise who had no significant idea of how to go about making it. There is a charm, in this case, whereas a lot of the time stuff that gives off this vibe makes me want to shut it off after 59 seconds. I like this, but it'd be dumb to recommend it to anyone – quite frankly, it's hard for me to imagine who might like this or want to listen to it. Being that I remember nothing about the label, project, or anything else, I'll most likely check more of this stuff out – out of sheer curiosity, if anything. Towards the latter half of the B-side, I'm left feeling like these are sections left out from mid-90s Macronympha – it's actually pretty swift and texturally interesting, with more elements added and more frequent edits, this could sound like Developer. Not at all a bad thing!
Grunt "Sacrosanct Imperium" CS (Freak Animal)
I still don't have Myth of Blood or World Draped In A Camoflauge, but these tapes will probably suffice for the time being. Coming home after my sociology class, this is a pretty good remedy for A) the indoctrination we all go through when going to college or whatever, and B) the residual feelings those of us not entirely sold on the modern world have when considering all the ideological mazes and pitfalls we try to navigate.
A ways down the road, historically speaking, people like myself who wasted time listening to tapes instead of doing push-ups and target practice won't be around anymore to celebrate the kinds of things this tape discusses. I am absolutely alright with that. Although I do very much enjoy every sonic and intellectual aspect of this tape, the ominous treatments of orchestral samples amidst high-end electronics as an intro remind me that I may not be of the correct mindset to prepare for the future – something within me suggests projects of this nature aren't merely celebratory sonic ruminations on what might happen in the future, but a black-and-white "do something or die" kind of statement. I don't think I'm supposed to sit around listening to this, and then come back for more later on a musical basis only, there is a distinct purpose here. Aspa would probably like us to go out and take a look for ourselves at the social climate, the conflict between peoples, and the worldviews which have lead to material like "Prologue For Plague" coming into existence. Although the throbbing electronics alongside nasty, almost-sexy-sounding high end oscillations amidst high-pitched screams have all the elements a PE fan might look to be entertained by, I think this is both a strong statement and a musical venture – Grunt is the only act in Power Electronics which I think has any similarity to The Grey Wolves, Con-Dom, or Genocide Organ. Aspa is never quite content to make blatant statements, instead letting the listener do the work when grasping the subtleties.
Oh yeah, and the vocals here sound a lot like "Installation of Blood and Steel" at some of the "calm" moments – as far as I remember, I don't own many Grunt releases since Petturien Rooli that have that style, mostly his low-pitched roar (nothing wrong with that, but he's a large man, probably capable of many vocal styles, I'd like to hear them all). For what it's worth, it's also quite charming to hear a dubbing mistake where several seconds of a random track make it onto a Grunt tape – we're all human, for better or worse!
B-side: Gas Fumes, opens to intense high-end Whitehouse oscillations amongst mid-range Swedish-type noise chaos and fucking excellent hardcore-style shouting that I think also has the same chorus or flange or whatever that is on the electronics. What I mean to say is that this track kicks into action from the first second, whereas I'd expected a brooding, suffocating slow-burner (no fucking pun intended, seriously). In all honestly, it's hard for me to specifically examine the sonics, layering, and composition of these more recent Grunt releases. There is a distinctly more straightforward, less musically-composed quality that I felt started to drift away after Petturien Rooli; this stuff is more violent, more savage, more immediate, and more urgent. The electronics often feel less layered, and more focused on aggression than atmosphere. I haven't yet heard any of the angelic synth amidst falling junk metal I so cherish from the project – instead, a forward-momentum blast of chopped-up styles (PE, tape noise, droney industrial, sound collage, harsh noise) marks a new phase in Grunt's sound – condensed, perhaps? No, that's not the right word, "fortified" makes a lot more sense. In this case, when things get more atmospheric with synthesizer and keyboard drones with wet static layering, this isn't the perdition or bleakness of previous releases – this is imminent death by suffocation via breathing in noxious chemicals designed for that very purpose. I do not understand it when people who like this kind of music don't like Grunt, unless of course you acknowledge the relevancy of the topics discussed, but want to delude yourself into thinking they have nothing to do with you.
Quack Quack/Milos Olympus CS (White Centipede Noise)
For some time I've been trying not to let cover artwork draw my attention too much, as not to affect my pure listening to the sounds, but in this case, it was hard. Weird Twilight Zone-type alien monster thing on a background of deflated color balloons. I hate that type of shit, but in this case, it just seemed appropriate for what Oskar generally does with the label aesthetic. Also, as I get older and more introverted, I don't fucking understand half of the label descriptions out there, including this one. Oh well.
Quack Quack start off side A with reverb-laden droning feedback and rumbling. Think Gelsomina but not nearly as abrasive or expansive-sounding. That's not really a bad thing, this is fairly simple but Incapacitants-style harsh noise, some very PE-type electronics start to make headway as soon as I noticed that. I can't help but think that one or two more layers of sound or perhaps some effected vocals would make this more attention-grabbing. I can see why Oskar likes this although this doesn't hardly hold up to any of the Wince tapes I own, honestly. Things didn't really engage me until the howling mic feedback came in, and I'm already not hearing it anymore. Honestly, this is the type of harsh noise that would just be so much more enjoyable if only a little more care was taken – things get more interesting once the spoken vocals kick in, but disappointingly, it's one of those instances where it's really buried and reverberated to shit, to where you can't tell if it's a sample or actual spoken vocals. A few minutes into this side and my coffee's gone cold – this is pretty much the effect this track has on me. Just like the coffee, I'll finish it, but I would like it so much more if certain things were adjusted just slightly, even. When that thought had passed, some bassy low-end junk metal crumble comes in – well, I like this more now, but still don't really see exactly what it is Quack Quack have to offer. I guess now I'm feeling a little stupid expecting much out of a project called Quack Quack, you know? By the way, the track is called "Mass Drunk," but I would not be able to appreciate this any more than currently if heavily intoxicated. In fact, if I came home after heavy drinking and put this one on, I'd turn it off. File under "noise to record while you're drunk, but not to listen to when you're drunk." Bare-bones harsh noise purists only.
Milos Olympus have the B-side with "Friendship Implosion." Title reminds me of SSRI. Aggressive mid-range crunch that moves quickly alongside glasslike high-end grinding quickly dismisses that notion – already I see why this was paired with Quack Quack, but shit, why couldn't it have been a collaboration instead of two fairly unrefined pieces? This side is more "my thing," in terms of harsh noise, because it's harder to tell what's going on, regarding instrumentation. I'm guessing pedals are involved, but beyond that, it's anyone's guess. I wish more harsh noise had that "how the fuck...?" quality that this sorta has. This track also has those nice breaks of heavy harsh noise looping that accentuate all the best Americanoise – pleasantly interrupted by feedback and what sounds like manipulated chimes. I love this kind of thing, and would have liked to see this spontaniety in the Quack Quack piece instead of mere improvisation. The high-end feedback within this track sounds indicative of a live recording involving amps, due to the imprecise tone and buried presence when certain crunchy elements blast into the mix – good approach, very Richard Ramirez/BLJ. Also very Incapacitants, but more admirably so than the other side. An unidentifiable drone starts to come in before the track takes a sharp dynamic turn for...more of the same, which I wish would have lasted a bit longer. There are even more frequent cuts in the Americanoise style which get more intense and entertaining as the track progresses – there are moments where I could have been listening to Kakerlak. Again, harsh noise purists only – if you generally like Oskar's curation, you'll find a place for this one.
Grunt "Swarm Of Parasites" CS (Freak Animal)
For those of you who don't feel it's necessary to review tapes separately, sorry – I tend to get bored or turn into something of a fanboy when listening to multiple releases by the same band/project in a row. When reviewing stuff, I prefer to retain some impartiality, if possible, because I don't think it's possible to be honest or look at something objectively when you start to form an overlapping opinion about it. Although it's obvious I generally trust where I might be headed when it comes to Grunt, I think it's good to avoid ass-licking of projects you like – if you like something, you should be the first to criticize it.
Immediately, chopped-up flanged electronics coincide with metal clunking and banging, this isn't far from anything else Mikko has done under this project since around 2014. That's a good thing. Like I said before, I actually like where Grunt is now even better than what was "formulaically preferable" from his older material. Efficiency seems to be more important in composing these pieces than "wowing" everyone with complexity (which he's certainly able to do, and does). I hear some manipulated orchestral or synthesizer sounds that sort of melt and warp into the heavy-duty industrial rhythm. A few seconds of this, and you already start to hear the trademark echoed yelling – this time, though, there is a blurry and undefinable, uintelligible quality to the vocals reminding me a whole lot of Snuff and Bizarre Uproar – is Pasi the one singing on this track, really? Regardless, I've noticed a sort of nasal-but-bassy quality to the Finnish vocal cords, which I tend to like – it's a nice accent to hear these things shouted at you in. Anyway, I should add there is some utterly wild-sounding feedback sort of spraying everwhere, which is a great sound alongside the sort of cut-up vocalizations and totally-disturbing electronics. Sounds like the ensuing chaos of initial guerilla attacks amidst air-raid warning sirens. The word which Grunt's new approach brings to mind is "emergentism," ironically a label that Aspa is somehow affiliated with. In this sense, though, Grunt's sound reflects an immediacy and urgency not always found in PE – it feels "real," and not in the "documentarian" sense.
Oh shit, there are the angelic drone parts I had mentioned before; I was wondering when that was going to happen – there is one of these sections on every Grunt release I own. To me, this represents the beauty of chaos and violence, to see these things as virtuous or admirable acts rather than some kind of loaded "necessary evil:"
"We want to poach men,
collect the trophies.
Hunt within civilization -
Prowl on the dark streets."
Gorgeous. When the high-end flanged electronics compliment these brasslike drones/loops, a sort of melancholy arises – depression of the hunter when there is nothing left to hunt. I can't remember where I stole that line from, but I will say that it's very versatile and applies to many examples of violence and predation. "Memories of Ruin" indeed. The warrior's function performed, what's left?
B-side. Just occurred to me that I haven't heard a sample of anything in a Grunt track for a long time, that's refreshing. I like that there is no real reliance on any mainstream-cultural context for these releases. Mid-range G.O. type electronics with a militaristic buzzing tonality compliment the more well-known Grunt style of vocals – but as with all other recent material, the vocals are essentially an instrument – I cannot tell what is being said, and the delivery/effects seem to be more imporant than the specific words, anyhow. A rather uneducated friend of mine was really into "controversial" bands like Landser in high school, and once when listening to them, he said something dumb like "I can't understand the lyrics, but I can feel them, I feel it," at the time I wanted to hit him, but now I think I know what he meant. The track is titled "Execution," and the calmer sections where the feedback floats overtop heavy electronic beeps and buzzing evokes that perfectly even though I cannot make out even part of one word. The reverberated/echoing background noises are just killer. I can actually understand this one section – it's the lyrics printed on the insert. The way this track sort of crescendos in an understated manner is fucking excellent, this track could best be characterized as a gathering storm; shit, maybe even Grunt's entire recent output could be described as such. Fly-wing buzzing and distant, thin clanging amidst oxygen-tank steam noises begin "Ghosts of Old Europe," alongside some pretty nasty recordings of something I can't quite make out – don't you fucking love that?? And he does the wailing falsetto in this track again, complete with signature echo – I don't fucking care how that sounds to say, it's great. And once you realize the track was a live recording, you're left to wonder how you can perform your own material live with any semblance of this level of effectiveness. Title of the tape is very relevant to today's social issues – mass migration, epidemic levels of substance abuse. "We still have a chance to be cruel." I'd posit that we also still have a reason.
Krube/Arv & Miljo CS (Fragment Factory)
Some German label released a tape with a project I'd never heard, doing a split with one I generally trust, so I got it. I tend to sell or trade away my older Arv & Miljo tapes so that I can hear new material with a fresh set of ears, and honestly, each development within the project makes the previous release pale in comparsion to the most recent. This is the benefit of not obsessively collecting and purchasing everything, people, some objectivity is possible if you just take a step back.
Side A starts with some very strange science fiction keyboard sounds alongside wet froglike noises and some ominous background wind static. I cannot say with any honesty that this is something I would have bought on it's own, but there are little elements of this that remind me of the Secret Apex tape that Jaakko Vanhala put out a few years ago, and maybe some elements of the Edward Artemyev Tarkovsky soundtracks. This is weird, to say the least, but I think you'd have to be on a lot of drugs or very mentally ill in order to feel that this is unpleasant. This has vibes similar to films like Stalker or the Animatrix – some kind of porous barrier between two worlds. Things don't really progress, much, either, they just build and naturally shift – I can tell that some of these sounds probably originated as field recordings of wind, water, possibly a boat, but they've been run through I-can't-tell-you-what- or-how-many effects and treatments. By now, I've adjusted quite a bit and I dig this a lot, except there definitely is a bit of a queasy aspect to the overall atmosphere – fucking seasick at that. Time to go below deck and eat some corned beef. Nothing has really changed, although developments do occur – this is not noise, this is thoroughly what I'd describe as ambient, although those following the "electronica definition" of ambient and the E-Z listening, New Ageists would fucking hate this. Fans of Amph take note! You might enjoy this if you've enjoyed the Polar/Mongol 12".
I'm somewhat sick of the A-side's enduring flute drone at this point, so I'm typing the initial sentences of the B-side review as a way of cutting off my attention from the former side – a cop-out, yeah, I'm aware of that, but you don't have to turn everything into an extended technique. Nobody would like Whitehouse if Right To Kill was just a flanged high-end tone for around 30 minutes, so although water sounds are quite nice, they aren't exactly impressive in this instance. Yeah, it's safe to say that this track runs past it's conclusion. Starts off strong and digresses into pointlessness. You can't win all the time. Been a while since I got this sleepy while listening to anything I actually took the time to review. Sorry Krube. Things eventually come back around to the beginning, but that's not what I wanted. It serves as more monotony rather than ourobouros biting its' tail. If there is a next time, maybe then, Krube.
Arv & Miljo. Like I said, I get rid of previous releases of this project prior to trying out the new ones – but the familiar elements are still there. The grey cloudy-day atmosphere, the water sounds; for Americans who don't know, the name translates to something like "Heritage & Environment." That's what the project sounds like – documenting the scenery of your upbringing, lifestyle, and sense of nationality. There is a distinctly Swedish feeling to this, especially once the electric piano sounds introduce themselves. Arv & Miljo have never come off as E-Z listening bullshit, though, and when they have moments of elation or melancholy, it's not the moodiness of immaturity, but more like the darker side of the Swedish psyche. This could easily be the soundtrack to your suicide, but not one out of self-pity; it sounds like killing yourself to state "I'm finished, I've achieved everything I set out for." I don't necessarily plan to take my own life, even under positive circumstances, but if I did, I might listen to this at some point during the day I was to do it.
Well, by now, the piano melodies have taken on less interesting scales, but I do rather appreciate the increasing torrent of decayed tape sound that seems to encompass them. This seems to be a piece recorded and performed live (probably on a grand rather than upright) piano, but recorded on an incredibly old tape with a sketchy portable – it has some sudden increases and slight dropouts that I very much like.
Puce Mary "Ultimate Hypocrisy" CS (Freak Animal)
Finally backtracking on tons of stuff I'd skipped for no real reason a while back. I know that I said I'm attempting to ignore cover art in favor of concentration on sound, but this tape has some pretty sexy/ugly skin fold/appendage collage work that has a great 90's Macronympha feeling. Not the music herein, however. This stuff has often been compared to Genocide Organ in a somewhat unfavorable light, but I disagree – I can't tell what Frederikke is saying, ever, but she has a commanding voice that is delivered with seriousness rather than a laconic quality, and the slight overuse of effects seems appropriate. To my ears, she probably listens to G.O., but is doing her own thing. Whatever.
Second track opens with subtle electronics and female moaning which seems to turn into slight weeping or sobbing – the sexy part is trying to imagine whether this sample is self-generated or comes from some piece of porn. Either way, I like her approach. The interrupted electronics alongside the quiet rhythm and very subdued alarm tones are quite nice with the short bursts of the sample as interjections. Right now, I can't help but think people were willing to make somewhat lusty comments about Ms. Chardiet from Pharmakon because they're not as intimidated by her as Ms. Hoffemier, haha. Really, though, she is a very attractive woman that also comes off as very tough, for what it's worth. I don't know her, and even after reading the interview in Noise Receptor, she still comes off as something of an ambiguous person – that's more attractive than my typical young-man fantasies, and her music is frankly probably more exciting, as well. The third track features "lip noises" synthesizer pulse with a desperate, disturbed vocal delivery – I very much like that this track feels weak and vulnerable, feelings that are somewhat taboo to discuss in power electronics, regardless your maleness or femaleness. I have only heard tracks from Slogun and Prurient which I can say have the same feeling of intense self-criticism and anxiety that this track instills in me. I really admire that – I don't want to hear very many artists that see themselves as anything but flawed human beings with some sort of instinct or agenda. But I don't need any self-pity, on the other hand.
B-side opener features a shifting, rattling looped semi-rhythm that reminds me a lot of Grunt. In this sense, I do see the G.O. resemblance – didn't they at one point refer to their sound as "native concrete industrial?" This is definitely that, but let's say "psychological concrete industrial." Mr. Finnan would probably scoff at such a remark, but there are sonic similarities between S.T.A.B. Electronics' take on this kind of thing and Puce Mary's. When the bubbly synthesizer noise introduces itself, this would be at home on some of the more recent S.T.A.B. material were it a little more saturated with distortion. I'm honestly wondering what Frederikke would think of that, if it would matter to her, right now. As soon as that thought is finished, a very sexy semi-aggressive rhythm/beat kicks in alongside digital snare accentuations – I might hate this were it not recorded and placed in so unexpected a fashion. I'm not even sure of a comparison to draw, perhaps some instances of more rhythmic Concrete Mascara tracks? Right now I'm looking at the Keukhot live tape on my shelf, and that seems valid, too, if only for the moment.
Anyway, her vocals really stand out here – they sound all at once commanding, mentally unstable, entertaining, and feminine. Very unsettling and very sexy, and not because she's a female – this is a sexualized style of industrial! Field recordings run through some kind of synthesizer filter open up the next B-side piece. Mumbled, distant vocals that slightly echo; or maybe this is a sample? I seem to hear a male's voice as well. This track again has that vulnerable feeling – totally unacceptable in power electronics as per some standards, but I think this kind of honesty is what PE is all about. What the fuck is the background song field recording that seeps in, and why? This is all very depressive-sounding, almost confusing coming from a Danish person. Perhaps this song is trying to evoke feelings of ennui and being jaded by the day-to-day predictability and safety of the modern mainstream world. I don't know. Definitely recalls the use of "appropriate" pop songs in a couple of Nicole 12 tracks, perhaps there's a meaning that's going over my head.
Regardless, I think its' useless recommending this one to anyone, if anyone is a fan of hers already, you own this. I was just playing catch-up. It should be obvious that I like what this woman does and am kicking myself for not paying attention.
Grunt "Chance To Be Cruel" CS (Freak Animal)
Ah, Linkola's worldview – the ideas to end all ideology. There is nothing more uncompromising. He knows how so many of us will end up: fertilizer. We all know it, some of us seem to take issue with that. It will still happen.
"When Machines Stop," or "When Machine Stops." Couldn't exactly tell, but in my opinion, it connotes the same thing – the "machine" as in the juggernaut of international finance-based greed, or society itself. Or when the machines stop – when the production of convenient nieceties ceases in order for the workers to become soldiers, slaves, or ashes. Oh yeah, the sounds: this is another sound-collage PE+noise approach with aggressive and chaotic junk metal scraping and somewhat subdued electronics. Vocals this time around are exactly what one can expect from Grunt; echoed shouting, commanding presence, only some phrases and words are intelligible. I especially like this because even amidst all his more recent material, it is particularly hard to determine what kind of electronics are being used to generate some of these sounds, that's great. And the vocals seem to totally dominate the other aspects, almost like a persistent thought one tries to suppress. Damn! Again with the atmospheric drones – given his talent to evoke a specific feeling, Mikko could easily have chosen to be a composer for soundtracks and art installations, but he chose something so much better. Just from the sepia-toned feeling of this track, one can tell it's title is "Ghosts of Old Europe," pts. 1 & 2. Values and national identities of yesteryear disappearing amidst cultural chaos – in most respects very unfortunate, if you ask me, but then again, that kind of conservativism is pretty much shunned these days. Who among those reading this review owns a genealogy book for both sides of their family? What does your family tree tell you? To close the A-side, a track such as "Chance To Be Cruel" needs no lyrics. Why would there be any?
Fuck...all of these tapes were recorded live, weren't they? Well, hats off to Mr. Vanhala. Compared with old YouTube videos of No Fun Fest gigs, this is some serious shit – can barely imagine how good this would be in person.
Anyway, wanted to note that Grunt is especially good when you're overworked, tried, maybe a bit pissed off, your feet are cold, and when you're hungry – hopefully all in combination. I strongly feel that this project is capable of evoking the physical sensations related to some of the track titles, sort of like Clinic Of Torture. But whereas that project is obvious in its' intent, Grunt seems to be more of a generalized reminder of the struggle of life and the suffering which lies ahead. That is not sexy or stylish at all. I really like the fact that Grunt has no aspects which can appeal to shallow ego-driven personality traits other than many of the sounds being very effective and tasetful – I can crack a beer when listening to XE or Bizarre Uproar, but there is none of that "fuck yeah" sensibility with Grunt, even when a particular part moves you very much. There's a solemnity that I appreciate, even beyond the man behind the project – Grunt is somehow much more than Mikko Aspa as an individual, which is arguably what many power electronics acts strive for but might not succeed. I can think of ones who have, and do, but I'm sick of name-dropping and I'm frankly sick of my own opinions. When that's the kind of mood you're in, Grunt might be your best bet – it exists largely outside of today's societal trappings.
On one last note regarding sonics, the evolution of the B-side seems to begin with something more akin to what he's doing now, then backtracks into a very organized, atmospheric style that I primarily recall from Petturien Rooli. Logically, that release dealt with military and social history as affected by military history in Finland, so the more recent Grunt releases would have to be A) Mikko's take on the developments since that time which affect Finland and the world as a whole, and B) Mikko's personal-ideological response to the problems posited in these releases. It's hard to say exactly, from interviews, considering the fact that I haven't read the lyrics, if this assessment is correct or not. Regardless, I get this sense of progression and evolution ideologically through the development of the sonic aspects rather than purely the vocals or even the words alone. Also, the guy knows how to make a live performance feel like an album, going from A to B and forgetting how you got there. Grunt is perhaps the most "musical" approach to PE today alongside two guys who are also Finnish. Go figure: "insanity is gift for torch-bearer!"
Puce Mary "The Great Panic" (Freak Animal)
Throbbing slow-burn introduction with spoken vocals (again they might be a sample) and some in-the-background high-end tones. This reminds me a little of a project called Olymphia whom I still wish had come out with more than one fucking tape, and maybe a little bit of one of the tracks from Grunt's "Ritual Of Mortality." Ms. H loves short pieces, and that's probably a good thing.
The second piece begins with very disturbing snare-hit drum-machine tapping and some quite ominous electronics. The background vocals feel absolutely tormented – I don't think this is the kind of song you write when you're feeling particularly good about yourself. Ah, of course you're one of the members of Ultra circa 1987 – there's some nice similarities there. But that piece ends quickly, too, leading to some Bianchiesque warped synthesizer sounds and some really nice...I can't tell what they are noises. Some spoken vocals that are absolutely mangled via effects, totally another instrument and not just a vehicle to deliver lyrics – makes me want to try some vocal ideas I've been mulling around later tonight. But instead I'll just revel at the very nice bell-like drones and unidentifiable sounds amidst delayed high-end feedback of this piece – I think it's the eponymous track. The next one, "Insomnia," is enough to disturb me through the title alone – I have issues with insomnia and there are occasions when you can reach low levels of dementia from sleep deprivation. I hate that sensation more than anything, with the possible exception of stomach pains. This track doesn't sound like that, though; it's just atmospheric heavy electronics without a particularly menacing atmosphere. More futuristic and scientific-sounding, than anything. I read in an interview that Frederikke works on art and film soundtracks for a living – she's clearly deserving of this success and is obviously talented, I can see why you'd want to hear her sounds in conjunction with a documentary about anything the least bit interesting and engaging.
Side B: "Teach Them How To Think," plus "Drugs" pts. I & II. Hah, I live in the drug rehabilitation facility capitol of the USA – there are more treatment centers here in my town than all of the various medical facilities in our "Tri-City area" put together...and we're supposedly a retirement community. Although I generally avoid using drugs, as well as people that use them, the latter in particular is not entirely possible, and I sometimes wonder if humanity is simply growing even weaker. Sooner or later, will us non-users be in the minority? I used to have liberal views regarding drugs and alcohol; "if you're not a drunk or junkie, and you pay taxes/go to work, that's okay with me." Nowadays I'm thinking it's best to separate yourself as much as possible from those scum – no reason to stoop to low-level hippie behavior just becase you're tempted to ingest whatever.
Rather complicated intersecting electronic patterns open the first piece – givng way to multiple layers of intense feedback (not too loud), and of course, Ms. H's unhinged vocal delivery – I'm sorry for again beating a dead horse, but I hear some St. Degeneratus in those effect tones she chose, I'm thinking "Wackelpeter." Second piece has a pretty nice breathy electronic sound underneath another little drum-machine sort of rhythm – fairly appropriate for being high on narcotics, specifically opioids, but I hope that Ms. H isn't referring to her own life through these two pieces. An oppressive but atmospheric drone bubbles upward, only to deflate for more sinister electronics to break through. Then you come down to the aggression of the third B-side track: G.O.-style but with a more Philip K. Dick than Julius Evola atmosphere. Lots of stream-of-consciousness vocal delivery coupled with subdued high-end flutter and that nice vibrating flange on the vocals. Things end once she's done expressing her regret and remorse, much like a relationship. Wow. Thank you. I need more Puce Mary soon.
Non-industrial-related shit:
Pentagram "Be Forewarned" (I like this one so much more than Relentless)
Lana Del Rey various songs (She and I seem to have similar taste in things, heh)
