Deconstructing Interference #19

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This summer has definitely been very interesting for experimental releases, so here are eight more records that recently came out. So, dive into a world of weird techno, post-club, post-industrial, free-jazz and ambient music, alongside some truly unclassifiable works. Enjoy!

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0010×0010 — MØDVLXXR
July 15th, 2019

The first steps of Raymond Tijssen in the techno domain followed a rather straightforward, acid-informed concept. The early works of the producer in Xisohpromatem and 303+606 revel in that ethos, something that also followed with full-length |||Ø||| with Tijssen performing a deeper dive into the core aesthetics of techno and acid music, navigating through asphyxiating ambiances and bombastic rhythms to achieve a great result. Now, Tijssen returns with 0010×0010’s sophomore record MØDVLXXR, exposing a renewed vision for his project and exploring this new space.

The usual suspects are still here of course, with “Voodoo In My Blood” unleashing an absolutely vile straight techno beat, as the heavy drum beats mutate through the presence of distortion. There is an unforgiving essence that rises from these moments, highlighted vividly in the claustrophobic “Never Surrender,” while acid elements further enhance the intensity of this ride. Still, smoother detours are taken with “Escape from Rodeo Drive” and “Tsim Sha Tsui Express” awakening a calming essence, which is even more pronounced in the sardonically title “Techno is Dead.” What is however striking is the denial of Tijssen to remain static and contempt with simply rehashing the clichés of techno and acid music. “Choose One” is a testament to that fact, with the amorphous rhythmic components unfolding a mysterious and menacing ambiance, while the glitch element subtly applied to “Buffer Underrun” creates an intriguing percussive illusion, a loop with no end in sight, as spacious synths complete the ambient collage.

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E-Saggila — My World My Way
August 2nd, 2019

My World My Way opens with a resounding bang in “Aziza,” as producer extraordinaire E-Saggila puts a whole other meaning to the term “sonic collage.” Balancing between a variety of sounds and genres, E-Sagilla thrives through the meticulous collection of synthetic instrumentation, samples, field recordings, and distorted vocals and then combines these to create a pathway into a stunning post-club realm.

Navigating through My World My Way feels like an epic journey, an odyssey that has been condensed to just 30 minutes. The oppressive quality of the record bring in the hard hitting elements of techno and methodical progression of industrial in “Crimson Landscape,” paving the way for the rise of noise and its sound design extensions in the sublime “Stars Dying in Succession.” Intensity is a key element in E-Saggila’s concept, and it comes in many flavours, be it through the intense, hellish vocal delivery of “Alia” or the industrial motifs of “Pattern Obligation.” And within these moments the producer is able to find the next logical evolution for her vision, turning the mechanical progression of “Pattern Obligation” to a complex, polyrhythmic paradigm in the title track, to finally lay this work to rest with the haunting melodies of “One Last Midnight.”

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Fire-Toolz — Field Whispers (Into the Crystal Palace)
August 7th, 2019

In the current extreme music landscape there is an expectation from adventurous musicians and composers to cross over genres and blur the boundaries between diverse sounds and musical practices. In that manner areas of extreme metal have collapsed within the noise trajectory, or have built further fortifications through industrial machinations. But, when it feels like everything has been tried out, there are these creative forces that still push further and create an even more bizarre sonic amalgamation. Fire-Toolz mastermind Angel Marcloid is such a force, moving seamlessly between edges as remote as black metal and vaporware.

Fire-Toolz boast a rich discography containing numerous full-length records, but in the project’s debut album for transcendental record label Orange Milk they perform a return to form with a dizzying sonic venture through ever changing sonic trajectories. Everything begins with a laid-back synthwave-y quality, peacefully setting in only for the processed black metal shrieks of Marcloid and the exploding blast beats to ruin this moment of pure serenity. From that point on there is an endless rotation of every influence imaginable. Hints of progressive rock become prominent through the marvelous guitar parts of “BEING,” while at the same time the subtle cheesiness of the 1980s synth pop creeps in with “April Snowstorm” and “Smiling at Sunbears Grooming in Sunbeams.”

Certain turns for a darker sound balance this sweeter quality, with the musique concrete informed “The Warm Body” stealing the show and the surreal “Fluids Come Together & The ‘I Am’ Appears” introducing a minimalistic touch. All while a jazz essence of improvisational galore and soothing essence is just a step away.

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Loscil — Equivalents
August 16th, 2019

Throughout his career as Loscil, Scott Morgan has been using elemental subject matters to construct his vision. Through the depths of the ocean all the way to the ethereal realm, and from the microcosm of physics to the vastness of the cosmos, Morgan has managed to find voices for all these ideas. The latest influence however comes from a more sentimental place with Equivalent being inspired by a collection of pictures taken by famed photographer Alfred Stieglitz. Stieglitz famously took these photographs with the goal of eliminating the subject matter from the pictures, resulting in one of the first abstract picture collections.

While Morgan’s work has always traversed the abstract music territory, Equivalents sees this essence come to the forefront. As a result Loscil’s new record arrives with an eeriness, highlighted perfectly through the subtle drones of “Equivalent 6.” The slow moving process warps space and time, giving the impression that the drones are unchanging and constant. It is then the use of dynamics that orchestrate these pieces and breathe new life into them. The process of transformation for “Equivalent 5” showcases Morgan’s excellent application of progression, controlling both the dynamics of the track and the emotions of the beholder at the same time. While at the surface Equivalents might appear blunt and stripped down, a deeper listening experience unveils all the majesty of Loscil’s minimalism.

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Red Nailmaker — Basilisk EP
June 24th, 2019

Wunderblock Records was launched in 2013, aiming to expose and promote the forward-thinking elements of the underground techno scene. Through the years they have displayed a strong inclination towards the heavier side of techno, in its post-techno, EBM, and industrial manifestations. The latest revelation in this lineage is the mysterious Berlin-based act Red Nailmaker, which arrives with a debut EP called Basilisk.

Red Nailmaker set a post-industrial scenery from the opening second of “Basilisk Part 1,” amongst falling noise debris and heavy beats. The movement and progression always retain their menacing perspective with synths appearing in the form of cyberpunk inspired scythes, reaping through the soundscapes. The same motif is applied in “Basilisk Part 2,” although Red Nailmaker applies a more strict progression, intensely aligned with the techno doctrine. Repetition and continuity are key here, while the EBM injections augment the effect of each individual element. It is an intense ride that Red Nailmaker has produced, and through the ten minutes of this EP they expose all its disfigured majesty.

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Telepathic Band — Electric Telepathy Vol 1
September 20th, 2019

This is the second time Daniel Carter and Federico Ughi appear on this feature, and for good reason: after working with Stelios Mihas and Irma Nejando in Radical Invisibility, they are now returning with the Telepathic Band, joined by an impressive array of musicians in bassist Hilliard Greene, clarinet player Patrick Holmes, and pianist Matthew Putnam for an absorbing, psychedelically inclined improvisational work in Electric Telepathy Vol 1.

There always appears to be a telepathic connection between veteran musicians whenever they are improvising, but in this collective that aspect reaches a whole other level. The manner in which the tracks transform is simply uncanny, with “Ghost-Watch” setting out in a slow jazz groove, before diving into a serene interlude beautifully led by the piano, before visiting an abstract realm of dissonance to finally dissolve in a drone-like vortex of sounds. And it is one thing when this seamless communication is applied to five-minute long tracks, but the record actually opens in epic fashion in “Flesh Dialect,” a 19-minute etude on the experimental aspect of jazz. Space rituals are enacted through a lucid progression, sound effects establish alien sounds that hover over the instrumentation and the dizzying dissonance of Carter and Holmes awaken the hallucinatory quality of this work.

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Yatta — Wahala
August 2nd, 2019

Poetry is inherently imbued not only with the spirit of lyricism, but also with a musical essence. Poems are written with a sense of rhythm or melody in mind, which always becomes clear when reciting them. Still, there is obviously a more abstracted space when poetry meets experimentalism, and together these can meet in a different musical medium. Yatta has been exploring that space through Spirit Said Yes, a powerful record encompassing diverse elements, from experimental electronic by way of drone and musique concrete, to the spirit of soul and blues music.

Yatta now returns with the follow-up work to Spirit Said Yes, Wahala, an inherently more ambitious record showcasing the full range of the artist. A bizarre world awaits exploration and it sets upon you from the strange introduction of “A Lie” where the intriguing use of audio effects invade the story telling capability of the track. From that point, Yatta sets out on a volatile journey that reaches far and wide, starting from the blues infused moments of “Blues,” moving to the choir based “Cowboys” before making a fantastical retreat in the unclassifiable space of “Rollin” where the repetitive progression of electronic music collapses on the sound poetry of Yatta.

What happens after numerous repetitions is that a wonderful illusion sets in where Wahala can actually adapt to your own mindset. The record is of course a roller coaster of emotions and sensations, but somehow the serene passages of “Francis” and “Shine,” the dreamy quality of “Underwater, Now,” and the aggressive manifestation that is “Rollin” appear just at the appropriate time to fit your mood. That is quite extraordinary.

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Zavoloka — Sobor EP
June 26th, 2019

Kateryna Zavoloka has built an extraordinary discography through an adventurous outlook towards experimental electronic music. Ambient music and experimental leanings were present in her debut record Suspenzia before Zavoloka turned her attention toward an abstract, glitch-informed IDM manifestation with Plavyna. As time passed, Zavoloka’s vision would continue to stretch further, seeing more prominent implementations of digital synthesis, use of field recordings, and the influence of the traditional music of her native Ukraine.

In the Sobor EP, Zovoloka offers a condensed dose of her sonic vision. The title track introduces this work through an unconventional and overarching introduction of synths before the IDM rhythmic infections join in. While the beats and rhythmic backbone of the track remain static, the melodic phrases and ambient touches that accompany the piece constantly mutate. From melancholic overtures to peaceful serenity, Zavoloka masterfully conducts this progression, before embarking on the equally enigmatic “Freedom of Exclusion.” Here, the abstract essence comes closer into view as the minimal introduction sets the tone while the soft percussion and spacious synths mold the track. It soon becomes another magical ride through a deconstructed psychotropic scenery.

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