Skidtmads - Xeristar Spirit
The last time we reviewed this guy's work was with his Dreamrecorder project; this one (I think) is his main project, Skidtmads. What does Skidtmads actually mean? It´s a Danish word, a degrading kind of harmless insult sort of. This album is called Xeristar Spirit, and Xeristar is well... medicine/pills u can take when you're having depression... or anxiety. So it´s called Xeristar Spirit by Skidtmads. The album title and the name for the project kind of stick together don't they?
The artwork shows a grainy late 70s to early 80s Polaroid photo, some adult female standing at a beach... with the head not being visible. I instantly get nostalgic impressions about stuff, emotions, and worlds long-buried (and completely) by the essence of time. How simple things were back then, and how complicated things are now. Anyways, we´re dealing with 11 tracks over 40 minutes in total.
The first track is called Singing Bowels. Harsh industrial drones and microphones distorted feedback, with some effective dreamy synthy sounds in there as well. Very expressive material here, when painting a dreamy landscape out of pure noise. Lovely old-school feel to it as well, goes very nicely with the cover-artwork!
The second track Sad Fond Memories is a strange... pleasant track, with a certain dose of... discomfort. A murky sense of how melancholia/sadness can creep on you. U really need to hear this track to understand what I have just written! I am also getting that... kind of horror-movie soundtrack feel. The feeling of something crawling closer to you, and you just cannot escape it!
The third track Johatsu Dreams continues with that... overwhelming sort of darkness. Mediative and angst-ridden at the same time. Strangely dreamy and nightmarish. There are harsh and cold elements in there, but also heavenly dreamy landscapes of sound as well. Kind of like being on an elevator ride to the burning bowels of the earth, or is it hell??
The fourth track is Brain Zap Party Talk. Just sounds like. Well, being at a party at the wrong time with the wrong people, and being in the wrong mood as well. Wrong mood or being drunk, maybe both! Pulsating, distorted, psychedelic, hypnotic with strange dialogues tuning in and out of the swirling soundscape. Kind of a BDN vibe here, especially when I think of the Obsessis album from 2000.
The fifth track Daily Grind is the sound of a constant piece of machinery working, constantly banging a piece of metal into the very earth. A very organic track, with again... a dream´ish quality to it. A pleasant headache if you please!
The sixth track Spring Morning, features a looped recording of someone doing a tune on a dusty old piano, it then gets slightly more warped and distorted the further we go into the track. I love the spring morning, but not this kind of spring morning! Sickly deranged stuff, but incredibly well-made if you ask me.
The seventh track Busy Little Machines In My Head is kind of like the Daily Grind track, just being a metallic saw grinding into nothingness. Love the chunky bits of distorted sound here, it´s not just noise going on in here. Tons of mood and food for thought!
The eighth track Feeling Made of Cotton and Glass Shards sounds like an atomic explosion in slow motion. Particles swirl around in a constant speed, occasionally hitting together and creating chain-reactions here and there. Explosive? Quite yes.
I could go on, but I will leave the last 3 tracks for your own curiosity. I absolutely love this album, every track has a story to tell. And every track on here has a kind sort of, picturesque edge to it. He might not have lyrics to help you understand, but he does have an understanding of dynamics and how to sculpt/form specific messages/themes through sound alone. Painful and incredibly pleasant at the same time, very satisfying if you ask me. Fans of some of the more dreamy-ambient driven albums by NON, and MB fans would also love this I am sure. Be sure to check it out!
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