Hiroyuki Chiva & K2
Interesting (and new) release from Spanish Marbgre Negre. A japanoise split cassette release between Hiroyuki Chiva and K2. As far as I can see, there might be a type error here. It´s Hiroyuki Chiba (not Chiva). And we´re talking about a re-release, originally from Chiba´s own label called Eerie Noise Records which was then re-released on Marbre Negre. A quick introduction, Chiba has been active since 2018 as a highly productive Japanese noise artist and label-owner (Bandcamp link below), K2...on the other hand, is one of the Japanoise-veterans (and pioneers) who has been around 1983 (check him out on Discogs/Bandcamp). So let us brace ourselves for a trip to the noisy landscapes of Japan!.
The first track on the A-side (which is with Hiroyuki Chiva) is called Drum Processing II is all about... organized humming and hissing high-frequency sounds. Sort of an ear-opener/introduction. Not much to go at, but strangely likable if you ask me.
The second track Two Oscillators head jumps into action-driven noise. Therapeutic noise, the sound of something that drives really fast and stops really quickly too. In the process, it rams into several objects on the way. Could also be the sound of a modified digital blender? I like the honest sound brutality here so far.
The third track Sirenhead II (as the Internet monster Sirenhead?) continues the brutal roar which was started by the former track. A more of a bass-rumbling treat with some squeals and cuts here and there. Lots of stuff actually going on here! I love the speed/tempo of this.
The fourth track Improvisation of Voice and Oscillators turns the mad tension even higher. A high-pitched vocal sound gets smashed into absolute noisy oblivion. Imagining splintering pieces of metallic shrapnel here for some reason... I can almost smell it!
The fifth track Siren Head I sounds a bit like Siren Head II, with some extra gritty sound effects on it. Some of the sounds almost had a kind of retro 8-bit sort of sound?
The last track on the A-side is Drum Processing I, which sounds a lot like Drum Processing II. Although the track is a bit shorter.
WE flip the cassette and continue with the B-side in the company of K2. A 13+ minute long track called Raijiun-Fujin. If you ask me what that means, then I can tell you that Raijiun Fujin being two gods who are guards at some Sanjusangendo temple in Japan. God/Gods of lightning, storms in Japanese Mythology. The track starts with cleaning your ears (and mind) with a numbing and hypnotizing drilling sound with reverbed atmospheric/ritualistic undercurrents. Mind fucking and epic noise/sound-scapes with lots of interesting psychedelic effects, the sounds kinda remind me of Maurizio Bianchi/MB in a way. There is lots of meat on this bone and lots of reason to re-listen the track a couple of times. It´s quite spacy in a brutal way, but also gentle in a slow-progressive sort of fashion.
And that ends the tape! I did like the minimalistic work by Hiroyuki Chiva, but it wasn´t as groundbreaking and mind-fucking as K2. K2 is really a noisy space trip to the other side of the galaxy, while Hiroyuki stays behind on the solid ground. Not a bad thing really, I think that the two artists have successfully created a great split and both acts are delivering their own expression on each side of the tape. A great japanoise treat here kids!.
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