FRAG - Controlled Coma.

FRAG – Controlled Coma – Cassette – Cruel Nature Records – CN107 – 2018

https://tunnelsofh.bandcamp.com/album/controlled-coma

As my interest in FRAG was caught when Āh Burroughs contacted me via the blogs secret, well-hidden underground messaging system and I heard Disease Vector, I was immediately taken by their sound. I believe that Controlled Coma is the earlier 1994 FRAG recordings.

The sound on controlled coma is immediately bigger and more aggressive in its repetition pulling the attention through sudden shifts in that repetition, which jolts the listener back to the original sound throughout tracks. It’s different again and Disease Vector is a progression on this through stripping back. Sometimes it is the background noises that tease and command attention as the foreground sounds remain stuck in their own grove. The work is relentlessly nightmarish using drones, churning synths and rumbling noise that meditates and focusses upon itself. It is like the raw beginnings of FRAG, there are traces and traits of what would later come on Disease Vector, but this is the nastier older brother to that album. This is all good, it still doesn’t sound like anything else that I have heard - strong, mature work, great album and I recommend it.

Choppy Noodles 2019.

FRAG Disease Vector.

FRAG – Disease Vector – self Released – CDR & Download – 2019.

https://tunnelsofh.bandcamp.com/album/disease-vector

Frag is a project by Tunnels of Āh creator Stephen Burroughs, it was originally conceived in the early 90s and after a rocky start it was intended to be kept as a secret, unreleased project. Some old material was recently released, FRAG kicked back into action and Disease Vector is the first new FRAG material in 25 years.

I like this, it sounds fresh immediately, through its minimalism and failure or refusal to adhere to today’s common noise sounds and methods. By use of farty, vibrating sounds the work really gets focussed on its own repetition through swirling loops of the same sound for long periods of time. Sometimes elements are juxtaposed sometimes they aren’t just one will just play off itself: this focus on repetition continues as the overall sound gets more layered as the album progresses. Some of the blunt less treated tonal frequencies that underlie the work are strong. As Distortion comes in on Neural Progenitor Cell onwards, the mixing gets clever and seems keep it broken up and fractured enough so the work doesn’t lose its identity and become cliched. Despite the growth in the amount of sounds used, the minimal aspect of the work is maintained, it also has a cold playfulness to it. The work does have a lot of twinges of older Power Electronics stylings as it progresses, it has no concern for the bigger/fuller sound at all and this is refreshing. It also gets very detailed and focussed within itself.

I enjoyed Disease Vector, its stance is refreshing and makes it a standout project. I do like Cold-Minimal work and this is a solid example of that. I will investigate Stephen Burroughs other work further - Welcome back FRAG.

Choppy Noodles 2019.