Johnny Scarr - NONNAH

Johnny Scarr – NONNAH – CDr – Chocolate Monk – 2021 – Chocolate Monk. 523

http://chocolatemonk.co.uk/available.html

http://mantile.blogspot.com/

I was keen to buy NONNAH since I’d heard that it was out by word of mouth at a Cremation Lily gig a few months back after its release in September. This is the first Johnny Scar release in a decade and since Spoils and Relics last released anything (2017). The album consists of two tracks on a CDr in a card sleeve and was released on Chocolate Monk.

I’d been playing a lot of early Mortiis and Disgusting Cathedral at the end of last year and this somehow loosely connects to that, creating a listening pattern of clear synth-based sounds, that peaked in me giving this a lot of plays over the last 3 months. I also feel I need to get a backup copy of this as my CDr isn’t looking in too great a condition.

NONNAH has a truly unique sound, keyboards and the sounds are manipulated and toyed with and sometimes phased out for new sounds to lead. Drones layer over what has previously been made as if something were taped over it suddenly and the results left as final tracks. The overlays of synth are occasionally kept similar to ensure continuity. There is good variation of change throughout the work, it is at times subtle and others obvious. A depressive feel comes through in the work as it meditates upon itself, but the almost melodic aspects of the synths gleam through like feelings of hope, these differing emotions of the sound create beauty in the work. NONNAH is a mystery within itself.

NONNAH has been continuously on my playlist since I bought it in November. Had I done a best of 2021 review list, this release would have easily been amongst my choices, possibly even at the top.

Coventry Soul 2022.