N/Bu.d.d.A - (no title)

We get to check out Bu.d.d.a for the second time after we reviewed their monumental third album Erste Opfergaben (Marbre Negre, 2021). This album was recorded from 2020 to 2022 and created spontaneously and chaotically in a studio in Dortmund, by the founding members of Bu.d.d.a and Helmut Neidhart of a highly prolific project simply called N. The beautiful-looking blue artwork shows the ancient Papua New Guinea tribe called Mudmen. Just to get a little bit wiser regarding the mysterious mask. Here is what I could find of information regarding that. 

According to one account, the Asaro tribe was defeated by an enemy tribe and sought refuge in the Asaro River. There, they encountered a man who granted them the ability to kill with their eyes. They waited until dusk to escape, but one of them was captured. When the captured member emerged from the muddy banks covered in mud, the enemy mistook him for a spirit and fled in fear, as many tribes in Papua New Guinea are fearful of spirits. Believing they had encountered a supernatural force, the enemy tribesmen fled back to their village and performed a special ceremony to ward off the spirits. The mudmen were unable to conceal their faces because it was believed that the mud from the Asaro River was poisonous. Instead, they crafted masks from heated pebbles and water from the waterfall.

The cool-looking vinyl is limited to 300 copies, and released by a label called Auf Aubwegen. The connection between an ancient tribe from Papua New Guinea and a drone-electronic act from Germany? Let us see if we can find the answer within the recording itself!

The first track is called Hoeschpark, Hoeschpark is a park area with a sports facility attached to it, offcourse located in Dortmund and opened in 1941. It was primarily made to attract unhealthy industrial workers to get out into "nature" and do some healthy activities. This track is over 20 minutes long and starts with a beautiful angelic drone from a dream... helped along by the sound of strings being gently plugged. Sensing the sun coming on, and the evocative mist levitating gentle to the blue sky. It´s quite beautiful, perfect ambient music with a touch of complexity. A darker stringed tone and some murky drones come later on, adding a bit of darkness to the track. At this point, we´re in that area... not in the morning, but in nighttime. Sensing the things that never sleep at this point, hearing the sounds of a living city in an isolated park area. Additional spoken-word vocals are added also, giving the mood a cool human element. Thunderous but subtle ritualistic rhythms get later on and give the track a menacing epic feel. Amazing journey within a track! Love how it transforms into something being optimistic and then... slowly descending into dark and complex areas of sound. 

We turn the vinyl and jump right into the second track called Fohrenmood. Which I think, is a forest in Dortmund. The sound of beautifully reverbed guitar strings, and a strange hissing sound in the background. Effect-driven ghost´s vocals float in and out, u can just barely hear them. A hint of early kraut rock in here. Not actually sure where or when we get to the second track on the B-side, the two tracks have been mixed into one track on the B-side. We´re still in the forest, and I can hear birds chirping. And then the chirping stops, and we move into the last track!. 

The last track is called Mare Tranquilltatis, a location not in Dortmund... but on the moon! Evocative stuff... almost religious. Drones made out of deep chanting voices, levitating ambient tones... and that inner machine sound that might come from the inner bowels of the USCSS Nostromo. Later on, the ambient tones get into a slowly built melody, giving me the sensation of being frightened by heights!

So what is the connection between the Mudmen and a German drone-ambient band? The tracks are about locations placed in Dortmund and the Moon. No doubt about it, the stuff they do is drenched in ancient mystery the same way the Mudmen are. But are we talking about an act that hides behind layers of sound, in the same way, the Mudmen use the mud masks? Might just be. Without a doubt, it functions as a perfect ambient album with some added dark complexity. It´s pleasant, but also menacing subtly. The kind of ambient album that u end up returning to since it has a variety of different moods. But it also catches the very realistic sound of existence ( in a way ), strong moments cannot exist without fragile moments.            

Bandcamp (band):

https://budda-official.bandcamp.com/

 

Bandcamp (label):

https://aufabwegen.bandcamp.com/album/no-title

 Vomir and Claritas - Stollenausbau

This is another thunderous and harsh release from our favorite avant-garde/noise label, Grubenwehr Freiburg. It is a split between the well-known godfather of HNW Vomir and a Danish act called Claritas. The release has been released as a limited c-50 tape release via another label called Mercium. There are two tracks on the tape, one side for each artist. The title of the album means Tunnel Expansion. The album is connected with the same mining concept as the tape release between Dosis Letalis and Mai12. 

We start off with Vomir. A thick and layered bass-driven ambient noise churns immediately out of the speakers. The crushing of huge rocks being blistered into air-driven dust. A microphone recording the storm of the century... or the sound of a fast-moving sandworm on the surface of the planet Dune. Love the different sound layers. There is a pulsating waterish sound in there, the hum of huge airplanes, the static sound of burning gas, or the flattening noise of being buried in thick concrete. It can be heard as a brutal and aggressive thing, but also as a meditative and relaxing one as well. Soundwise, I think it follows the earthy mining sound concept. This layered burger of aural delight burns in 26 minutes and 1 second.

We turn the cassette and continue on the B-side with Claritas. A lot more noisy and in your face, with almost a kind of power-electronics approach. The crunchy and dry sound of thunder in the summertime, just before the rain hits you. For some reason, my mind keeps telling me that there are vocals in there... and the sound of some sort of siren alarm... or is it the inside sound of a fast-moving train? The whole thing/track delivers a million huge explosions on a microscopic scale, the sound of a slow-moving atomic explosion, or the constant shredding sound of nylon/fabric being ripped apart. Lots of textures of sound here, I can almost smell the bacon on the frying pan! Last 6-7 minutes of the track, there is a static ritualistic and drone´ish low-male voice in there... I'm sure! 

It´s a BEAUTIFUL HNW treat for both the fans of the ambient noise and the harsh noise. Perfectly balanced between these two styles. Both artists (on the tape) work in almost perfect harmony of utmost brutalism of sound. And no, it´s not a case of someone pushing a button and then walking away from the recording equipment. It´s a case of someone pushing/twiddling a button/knop, patiently waiting a bit... and then slowly ( in a good way ) surprising the listener in the art of slow subversiveness. As I can read it, this release is part of a HNW series ( 5 releases in total ). I have only reviewed 2 of them, and these two are... REALLY GOOD! Lots of reasons to check up on the others as well, more info on the labels Bandcamp site!                  

Bandcamp (label):

https://grubenwehrfreiburg.bandcamp.com/album/stollenausbau

 Mörksugga - Så Småningom Tar Allting Slut

A new act from Sweden, called Mörksugga, and the album is called Så Smågingom Tar Allting Slut (So Little By Little Everything Ends. Mörksugga comes from a mythological little dark creature created and painted by Verlin Molin (1907-1980). A small trollish black creature that looks faintly like something from the world of the Finnish author Tove Jansson (Moomins). Title of the album, well... everything faints away with the time. The photo is from some historical and religious construction I guess. 

The whole CD has been self-released by the artist himself, a cool, shiny, and classic blackened digipack. You´ll find additional info regarding the release itself and a nice photo of the man behind the project. A serious-looking man with sunglasses, and on the CD tray he holds a surprisingly small human-like cranium in his large hands... could it be the scull of a Swedish gnome?. We don´t know! But anyway, inside we have 9 tracks almost 40 minutes in total... so let us dig right into it!.    

The first track is called Skända Din Nästa (Disgrace Your Next). String-tortured arrangements with some slow and heavy industrialized electronic percussion. Not far away from In Slaughter Natives, just a bit slower, less melodic, and subtle. Classic Scandinavian horror mood nonetheless, the creeks and the sounds are all there... sounds pretty good. The sound quality suits the style so far. 

The second track Ett Minne Ristat I Hud (A Memody Carved In Skin) is slowly mixed into the end of the first track. The sound of human breath slowly inhaling and exhaling, and the sound of drums... drums in the deep... yes... the goblins are approaching for sure! Panic? A bit, let's just stay cool for the moment. Still maintaining that classic mid-era sound (2000 and later) of Cold Meat Industry. To someone like me, well... it feels comforting and home-like. 

The third track Lugnet Före Stormen moves into the sort of realm of Archon Satani or Inanna. Mysterious ritualistic moods and the sound of echoed metal pipes rolling inside the church, love the background drones here. The feeling of seeking some kind of protection towards what is outside is quite evident here.

The fourth track Utbränd Och Ödelagd (Burned Out And Destroyed) offers a sort of slow-driven electronic martial-industrial rhythm with some extra junk-metal sounds. Harsh distorted sounds and the sound of monks are there as well. Never been much into the polished side of this kind of music, but... for some strange and unknown reason, I´m actually charmed by this. 

The fifth track Affirmation offers something new. Looped guitar strings, get me straight back to old Ordo Equilibrio. Joined up with a nice and haunting epic synth melody. Cool background stuff going on, slow-motion monks burning up in hell with lots of reverb. 

The sixth track Den Osalige Andes Närvaro (Presence of the Unholy Spirit) offers the same as the former tracks... but ... there is something else going on in my left speaker... and right. Everything swirls back and forth between my speakers, love the dynamic! Slow-driven ambient horror with some extra dimensions attached to it!

Is the eight-track a Death In June cover?...

At this point, you should just check out the album and listen to the last 3 tracks! The album almost works like a tribute to the era of CMI after the millennial switch. The sound quality is pretty good, and I love the stereo dynamics of the reverbed sound effects. I do miss one thing though, a touch of ... well... madness, or when you just... lose control and something weird happens. But apart from that, the album manages to complete whatever mission it was set upon, it´s pretty well constructed.  Although... Hopefully, there will be a second Mörksugga album out.     

Bandcamp (band):

https://morksugga.bandcamp.com/album/s-sm-ningom-tar-allting-slut

    

      

 

Arlo Bigazzi & Elena M. Rosa Lavita - 
D’Altronde Sono Sempre Gli Altri

Elena M. Rosa Lavita, whom we reviewed some time ago with her breathtaking and horrific interpretation of Tjajkovskij´s Swan Lake, has a new album out. This time, she has made an album with Arlo Bigazzi, whom I don´t know. If you check up on him on Discogs, then it's quite obvious that we're dealing with a true veteran of Italian music. He has been in the industrial band Militia as well. These two cool people have gotten together to create an album called D´altronde Sono Sempre Gli Altri (which means After All, It´s Always the Others). The album has been released as a limited tape on Industrial Ölocaust Recordings, and on CD via Materiali Sonori. An 8 track album, about 30 minutes in total.

The first track is called Bruit Secret, starting with the metallic scraping on bass strings and some eerie-sounding synth work. Reminds me of Coil´s S Is For Sleep on their compilation called Unnatural History Vol.1, which has that relaxing and eerie complexity. Really love the sounds here, the strange shimmering of bell sounds, instrumental basswork, reverbed feedback, and synth elements here and there.    

The second track Manrovesci, moves further into down-tempo electronica beats mixed with excellent bass playing. Excellent high-quality soundtrack stuff for a great horror flick. 

The third track 11° Giorno Apoplettico Spirituale feels like a spider crawling on your spine! Everything is spine-tingling, and the haunting slightly jazz bass-playing manages the listener to be nailed to the ground... in an incredible meditative way! Highly evocative dark-ambient textures here as well, very organic sounding.

The fourth track Indipendenti Dagli Avvenimenti Esterni gets back to the roots of early gothic post-punk, the minimal atmospheric sound of Bela Lugosi´s Dead? Just being further into slow-driven ritualistic minimalism. Really love the kind of Robert Fripp´ish ambient guitar work here! 

The fifth track The Great Enemy of Art Is Good Taste offers a more melodramatic approach with strings! Slowly build with thumping sounds, which sound like steps on a staircase. Beautiful bass playing comes while the epic strings build up a certain melody and tension which grows patiently with every second. 

The sixth track Ahi Serva Italia Di Dolore Ostello seems to me to be the sad track on the album. Love the inventive injections of distorted feedback here, which almost sounds like a human voice screaming! 

At this point, I could go on rambling bout the last two tracks, but I will not. There is no point really, because everything should be crystal clear after what I have just written. This album is bloody amazing, and I will hear it again and again! It offers a wide range of moods with a pure minimalistic sound approach. The listener is bound to be amazed and highly intrigued, in the same manner of discovering a hidden part of the brain. It also feels strangely familiar in a good way. This one gets the green light for sure, big green lights! 

Website (label):

https://cardinium.com/product/ior-tk-xxix/

Bandcamp (artist):

https://rosalavita-elenam.bandcamp.com/