Fuji Mum - An Eye For an Eye Will Turn the Whole World Blind

Artist Fuji Mum
Year 2010
Label None
Genre(s) Power Electronics...

One of the positive points about Noise and Power Electronics would be that almost anyone can have a go. You don’t necessarily need to know how to play an instrument or have a massive bank roll behind you to afford gear all you need is passion. One of the negative points about Noise and Power Electronics is that almost anyone can have a go. Despite popular belief there can be such a thing as bad noise. As a fan of noise I find it offensive when someone throws any bit of shit out there and expects it to be accepted just because it’s "experimental". Fuji Mum adopts this approach by serving up four tracks of nothing but feedback and vocals.

Whitehouse made power electronics using distorted synth and hateful vocals, even later on when they began to wander into the realms of self-parody they still had a good solid sound and were amusing. Most Power Electronics is built around synth and specifically high end. Fuji Mum is made up of one dude waving a microphone in front of an amp and shouting every so often. Everything has been bounced directly without any mixing or even consideration for composition. The four tracks here are exactly the same thing, microphone and amp feedback and some forced vocals. The overall sound is totally flat and reeks of doing one take and deciding that’s enough. The thirteen minutes here seem to stretch ever onward. This release is punishing in all the wrong ways.

This review isn't very well formed, I appreciate, but there's not much to work with. As I mentioned the compositional elements of the release ammount to recording feedback and shouting (Read: mumbling) vocals at the same time. Feedback is an important element of noise, no doubt, but it's usually much more than simple feedback recorded through a microphone. Some of the best Harsh Noise works are primarily feedback based, however the feedback is treated and run through effects to make it a part of an overall whole. There's nothing quite as interesting here.

The four tracks presented by Fuji Mum here just give off the impression that minimal effort was expelled in the planning (if there was any) and recording stages. It's an insult to ever other recording artist that actually puts effort in to their works. It comes across as someone who wants to feel like they are part of something, that they have created something, and chosing the easiest route to do that. In this case a musical genre that's based around DIY and often lack of structure. I'm wracking my brains trying to think of a piece of constructive criticism or even a positive point that I can include. I'm falling short on both fronts. These four tracks don't deserve your time or attention, and until this project shows that it actually has some artistic merit I advise you to avoid.

Dim Dusk Moving Gloom - Articles of Faith

Artist Dim Dusk Moving Gloom
Year 2010
Label Datahex
Genre Psychedelic Noise, Drone

I'm not overly fond of netlabels. I feel I should get that out of the way. For every great netlabel, and there are a few, there's about one hundred others that put out releases by the likes of RedSK and Breakdancing Ronald Reagan. Netlabels more so than anything else seem to lack quality control, even the major noise net label Smell the Stench has "put out" stuff by some less than favourable "artists". I know explaining a bias doesn't excuse it but hopefully airing that won't allow it to tain this review.

Dim Dusk Moving Gloom is one of many projects of Justin Mark Lloyd, playing a fucked up mix of Psychedelic Noise, Droning sound scapes and the odd harsh element thrown in. He also heads up the Rainbow Bridge label when he's not record with his plethora of projects. This release, Articles of Faith, finds it's home on Datahex records, a relatively recent netlabel. Looking over their releases is a bit of a mixed bag, though not terrible, with the exception of my excessive recoil upon noticing BRR appearing on one of their compilations. I must say in favour of both Dim Dusk Moving Gloom and Datahex that Articles of Faith is doing a lot to redefine how I look at netlabels.

The release opens with an almost R&B flavoured beat, sounding like a distortion of the opening beat to Amazing (Kanye West). Hints of static creeping around the side. Slight stuttering on some of the beats lends a Chopped and Screwed feel to the piece. The beat is soon overtaken by wailing high end and a crunchy, bassy layer of static. Vocals charge headlong into the mix, drenched in reverb and delivered in an almost Power Electronics style.

The next track is a 17 minute droning dirge. Crumbly walls of bass move at a glacial pace with a well integrated use of religious samples. The matter of fact, mildly upbeat samples is juxtaposed with the static and shrieks low in the mix. Both the music and the sample taken on new meaning when put together, meaning that isn't inherent (Not that I want to discuss the potential of Eisenstein's montage theory in relation to music). Soon high end skree pushes into the piece, the sample still going on in the background, fighting for position and breaking through so only a few seconds here and there are audible. The track does begin to overstay it's welcome at around the 14 minute mark, created as it is around the one sample. Also worthy of note is a high end whine noteable at the beginning of the track which is often found when using a computer programme to artificially slow a piece, whether this is the cause or not it is still distracting.

Next up is a short 2 minute number, bassy noise fliterring between channels, panned perfectly. Slowly starting to get lost in oncoming waves of psychedelic static.

Sundowning is a thirty minute piece that begins slowly and creeps it's way up to a static onslaught. Slowly gathering elements as it progresses, the rumble and crumble of bass is especially prevalent in this track (and the release as a whole) but unfortunately seems to ebb away when the white noise begins. This leaves the track feeling hollow, as it's left with nothing but high end for a while. Like thunder the bass suddenly returns to make a blistering cocktail not far removed from some of the less vocal heavy Masonna 7''s. As the assault collapses into itself the sounds of dying electronics rise to the front, the entire tracks sounding like a spaceship entering a meteor storm and just as it manages to get free all electronics die, slowly.

The final track on Articles of Faith is Prosthetic Relief which mixes the bassier noise with a slowly ebbing drone. This track almost functions the same way as the final song on a psy-trance album. More chilled out and relaxing, bringing you back to earth after the trip you've just been dragged on.

Articles of Faith isn't without fault, certain tracks can feel slightly overlong. Besides this the quality is brilliant however, you can tell that every element is well crafted and put together with utmost care. As I mentioned earlier Dim Dusk Moving Gloom and Datahex have managed to make me rethink (certain) netlabels. That's got to be worth something.

Divorce Party - EP

Artist Divorce Party
Label Self Released
Year 2010
Genre(s) Noise Rock

An interesting little ditty here from Michigan based Noise Rock entity Divorce Party. A two song single clocking in at just under five minutes. Presenting Noise Rock of the more blown out, intense variety.

The first track Doo Dop Top is fast, angry and ever so rewarding. Sounding like some of the classic Noise Rock bands in structure but bringing their own flare to the proceedings. Worth of note is the melodic chanting that forces it's way above the dissonant guitar and thunder drumming.

The second, and unfortunately, final track Tweedy Two Two offers blown out guitar, rudimentary drumming (verging on industrial sounding at points) and obscured vocals. On repeated listens melody begins to rise out of the cacophony and the vocals become more and more apparent.

A million different bands lurk just outside my grasp, suggesting they have influenced Divorce Party. The fact that I can't reach out and grab any do a lot to show just how well the band sculpt their own sound. The genre Noise Rock has been co-opted recently by sub-par bands making sub-par music, Wavves for example. Divorce Party don't sacrifice the rock side of things for the noise. Both elements are present and come together. The whole is greater than the sum of their parts. Defiantly one to watch.