Mai 12 - Vczcvzx

Mai12 - Vczcvzx – 12”vinyl/Download – 2019 – Mai 12 Bandcamp.

     1.       Vixmmxvi – 07.13

     2.       Vixmmxvii – 07.13

Mai 12 are based in Greece and have been covered on this blog a couple of times previously, I am a fan of their unique take on wall noise, it usually has a shifting, low level assault and they seem to occupy their own corner of noise. They release prolifically on limited editions through their own site and through various other labels. Their work is of a consistently high standard.

Oddly, the Mai 12 assault on Vixmmxvi is deeper and uses a more frontal assault as I listen to it on headphones (as strongly recommended), the depth of sound is warm and dense. So, you immediately have an unexpected, uncharacteristic frontal aggression as well as the characteristic warmth and depth that occupies the sound – contradictory yet powerful elements. With any Mai 12 wall, the shift is continuous, the various subtle background sounds work subconsciously, as if subtly inducing panic and nightmares. Despite effectively being a 12” single the density of each track deceptively makes it feel like an album. There are massive pulled back explosions as the track evolves, this is, shockingly a more aggressive Mai 12 than I am used to, and I like it.

The intensity doesn’t let up on Vixmmxvii, the depth is sharper and continues to resonate in an aggressive manner as the background becomes a pulsating noise barrage that forces the frontal wall of distortion to become the background. The shifts in synthesiser noise are massive and impressive and provide the Power Electronics to the sound. Side 2 is the track that changes, shifts more and is the most aggressive, nasty performance.

The cover art seems to reference the mesh that covers some of their own tapes and the fly resting on it alludes to a fly near a fluorescent bug killer, inducing a sense of anxiety akin to that of the music. Art and sounds are equally effective.

Vczcvzx is a side to Mai 12 that I had not seen before, it surprised me, and this is an excellent, unique take on the Wall. Mai 12 have delivered every time, buy this record or any of their releases.

Nevis Kretini 2019.