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Tuesday, 30 July 2019

Inner Demons Records #1 - Foot and Mouth Disease - Forever Is Composed of Nows.




Track list.

Disc 1.
     1.    Nows 2.
     2.    Nows 3.
     3.    Nows 4.
     4.    Nows 7.
     5.    Nows 5.

Disc 2.
     1.    Grand Jester 10.
     2.    The Smile 9.
     3.    The Smile 10.
     4.    Grand Jester 5.
     5.    Nows 1



This is the first of a series on Inner Demons reviews that I’m doing as they sent me an epic package of review stuff. The Florida based label specialises in experimental and noise on the 3” CDR format, sometimes in singles or doubles, sometimes in small box sets, since 2004. Inner Demons is run by Dan Fox who is behind the Loss, IF, Fail and Disconsolate projects.

Foot and Mouth Disease is a Rochester, New York project that has been releasing since around 1996. Foot and Mouth is Lawrence J. Patti, there have been a lot a lot of online and physical releases.

The first cd is made of 5 different ‘Nows’, I hadn’t done my research properly on the label and was expecting Walls of noise or similar; instead this is something entirely different. It starts as very atmospheric in haunted sense, drones and twangy electronics build Nows2. The second Now – Now 3 is more ambient with keyboard melodies floating around it, this is still haunted, but more sensual than the previous Nows. The Next Nows(4) is really fragile keyboards and pulsations, actually gorgeous relaxing synths and nice to listen to. Nows(7) is a noisier track, louder and projects a darker vibe that the previous works and this continues into the final Nows (5) with an edgier, more suspenseful ambience.

The second disc seems to dwell in the darker areas of the first one. Grand Jester 10 is similar to the suspenseful electronics of Nows 2, it has that bleak ambient background as various electronic drones take the lead, futuristically and effectively. Passages of beauty return to The Smile 9, yet the darkness of sound lurks and plays out. Choppy slight electronics play over the drones of The Smile 10, it’s done in a way that the sounds that punctuate the harmony form a fractured collage of sound. This becomes more cohesive as high frequency noise rises as the work unfolds. The darkness returns for Grand Jester 5, this is ominous and threatening, bleak drones dominate with slight teaks in tone causing menace. The resonance of strings and drones builds and ties everything together with Nows 1, leaving us with traces of the reoccurring beauty that is of Forever is Composed of Nows.

All these contrasts make for pleasing listen that was soothing and challenging at the same time. The sounds are very well varied yet tie together cohesively; nice to hear such a fresh approach. This has served as a brilliant introduction to Inner Demons and Foot and Mouth Disease.

Choppy Noodles 2019.

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