Scum/Edge of Decay - Repugnant Rattle.

Scum/Edge of Decay – Repugnant Rattle – CD – Aussaat – Aussaat 39- 2026

https://edgeofdecay.bandcamp.com

https://scumcumcum.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/Aussaatundernte

E-Mail: ernten@aol.com

1.     Premature Ejection (Edge of Decay)

2.     No Attempt (Edge of Decay)

3.     Laser Liturgy (Edge of Decay).

4.     Like A Rats (Scum).

5.     Fatigue, Chills (Scum).

6.     Brain Activator (Scum).

7.     Repugnant Rattle (Edge of Decay and Scum)

On this split cd, Aussaat brings together Japan's Scum and Finland's Edge of Decay, both have released on the label before. Edge of Decay started releasing in 2014 and Scum in 2010. Coming together for Repugnant Rattle, there are Three Edge of Decay tracks, three Scum tracks and one combined track. The amazing cover art is by Aaron Aspinwall of The Repos and Death Dedication.

Edge of Decay - Premature Ejection,  I was taken straight away by the farting distortion and how it juxtaposes with sharp, harsh, feedback noise. That heavy bass fart noise is so good, it resonates well and the shifts in a tone and speed that can be felt through the body immediately. The feedback kicks in as the deep sound pulls back, like a push pull reaction made from the two sounds as the entire sound morphs into glitch and a hum. It is simple and impressive. No Attempt is a distortion heavy and harsh, the feedback and the deep hum seem stuck in joint position in a race with both taking turns to take the lead for short, sharp, bursts of time. Both elements accelerate and decelerate rapidly, it is fast moving work. In contrast to the first two tracks, things sharpen to shrill noise on Laser Liturgy. Sharp digital glitch sound pulsates as pulsating tweets jar against this and then bind with it, before repeating the cycle again. Laser Liturgy is an angrier track than the previous ones and as the track progresses, the noise warps and intensifies constantly.  Edge of Decay pulls the noise rapidly into a deeper, heavy bass roar, clashing it with sharp feedback. These three tracks are top tier, present day harsh noise at it’s very best.

Scum – Angry, sharp wailing tones are cut into by thick, crunchy distortion and an insane shifting, warbling noise shifts from left to right and explode together as Like A Rats.  This track gets sharper, choppier and falls into sonic insanity as the seconds progress. It is a bold opening statement by Scum in answer to the damage Edge of Decay just did. The sound seems to get suffocated towards the end, but high pitched digital wailing cuts right through it. Ominous drones and crackling form the opening to Fatigue, Chills. This uses an ambient background and allows crackles, hisses and slurping sounds to interact over the top of it. I feel swamped in murky darkness here. The lack of backing distortion or bass roar gives the noise a lot of space within which to interact. Things get harsher for Brain Activator, This again allows space into the sound with no backing bass, the distortion and wailing feedback dance together as metal is hit in the background. The quick-fire bursts of deep distortion in the background shift things up for brief periods of time. Throughout their tracks, Scum use a minimal palette that can become busy or separate into sparseness, but it is always effective. Intelligent is a word that I would use to describe this work.

Both acts come together for the album's title track Repugnant Rattle, this is also the album’s longest track. This is at once full and minimal, full through the bass drone, minimal as a few distortions and crackle play out on top of it. Each element is allowed to resonate perfectly through the space that is left in the work, interactions are clear and highlighted because of this. The strengths of both artists are in full force here, which makes for a high standard, well planned and perfectly executed piece of work.

This album uses minimalism to full strength on this album. It is very good work, it might even be excellent. Had it been 7 tracks of full on assault, it may not have been as good as this. It demonstrates the high quality of output you expect to be released on Aussaat. I have played this album a lot over the last month and would really recommend that you buy it.

ZG 2026.

Pacific 231 - Deep Jet, Soundscapes of Conflict

Pacific 231 – Deep Jet (Soundscapes of Conflict) – Aussaat – Aussaat 32 – CD – 2024.

          1.    F-104 Lockheed 1958.

          2.    A-10

          3.    F-16.

          4.    Gripen – E.

          5.    F-18.

          6.    Ordinance AGM-65.

          7.    Ordinance Hydra 70.

https://www.facebook.com/Aussaatundernte/

https://www.facebook.com/Pacific231/

 

Pacific 231 is a French project made by Pierre Jolivet, it stretches right back to the early 80s. Initially, the work fell in line with the Power Electronics of that era that was in its infancy at the time, present day work now is made of different sounds that explore the limits of sound. The 1983-86 Compendium on Tesco from 2011 captures the early work perfectly.

Deep Jet contrasts noises in different compositions, the most consistent one being jet roars that seem to be field recordings. The individual track titles are named after the jets that provide the main sound source for each track. The harmonious sounds contrast the Jet roars to express the dual nature of technology, in that it can advance us through it’s benefits and also serve as a force of destruction – this happens across several of the tracks.

F-104 Lockheed 1958 is pitches of electronic sounds and jet roars that serve as a disruption of ambient soundscapes, almost an electronic battle of nature and technology. The ambient combinations of buzz and drone sound like a recreation of a field recording. In contrast to this, the jet sounds do come across as the sampled sounds - there is a sense of irony that the jet sounds are the natural sounds against the artificial nature scene. Maybe it is addressing that technology has become a new natural?

The second track A-10 uses a base of contrasting drones with the roar of the engine to layer the track. The harmonious drones that build up begin to give off a symphonic feel, a sense of beauty is achieved here, it's no longer purely just contrasts. F-16 is a deeper roar, distortion that sounds like rain and harmonic pitches to layer the composition. At times this breaks down to industrial sounds and the jet roar, leaving a recreation dominant artificial human landscape. Gripen-E demonstrates a clear, aggressive use of jet field recordings that rise over the quieter delicate layer of noises. This serves as the nature environment that is continually disrupted by the machines – that is the core concept of Deep Jet. Sharper pitched sounds dominate across F-18, this is the point where the work raises the aggression to uncomfortable levels, I like the shift that happens here. Ordinance AGM-65 feels purely technological, as if a dominance has been fully achieved amongst the louder and quieter electronic sounds. AGM-65 continues into Hydra 70, as the sounds all eventually die into the distance.

All I have heard in contrast to this is the earlier Power Electronics Pacific 231 work which is good and of its time, this achieves a clinical degree of conceptualisation that Whitehouse excelled in when the project was alive. However Pacific 231 has progressed to make work that is purely their own and in its own field entirely. This is serious, heavily conceptualised work.

Coventry to Nottingham 2024.

 

 

Augmented Atrocity - Anomaly

 

Augmented Atrocity – Anomaly – Aussaat – CD – Aussaat28 – 2023

https://augmentedatrocity.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Aussaatundernte/

E-Mail:  ernten@aol.com

1.    Circling Around Sin.

2.    Monkey.

3.    The Army of Copycats.

4.    I Won.

5.    Control & Dominance.

6.    Body Is an Object.

7.    Straight Line.

8.    Progression Upon Progression.

9.    Bareback Purist.

10. Anal Anomaly.

Anomaly: an odd, peculiar, or strange condition, situation, quality, etc. an incongruity or inconsistency.

Anomaly is the third album by Finland based act Augmented Atrocity, the cd comes in a bloody red 6 panel digipack.

From the last, most recent album I became very familiar with Augmented Atrocity’s use of big synthesiser sounds, when they use drones, they truly know how to do it well - Circling Around Sin revels in massive drones. There is a strong use of bleak, ambient atmospherics that the sound can slowly move around in. The drones seem to become a singular tonal frequency that hums as the vocal shout comes in, a buzzier synth drone then takes its place, the distortion to this emphasises a nastiness to the sound that remains when the vocal comes back. A small amount of wobble comes into the electronics to highlight the aggression’s effect.

A fractured electronic comes in for Monkey, this is fractured through a subtle raise in distortion. The vocal is tweaked via adjusting the speed and tone, so it sounds mutant. A crunching beat comes in as the backing sounds indicate a riot and chaos – an impressive rise in impact to the track. A forceful vocal replaces the mutant voice and kicks things off at the end. Big drones and crackling form a crunchy rhythm, the vocal goes off on a rant, things are emphasised through subtle rises in backing drone, it demonstrates a clever use of tension. The title ‘The Army of Copycats’ is repeated over sample.

I Won shows a good fall into Death Industrial through a dominant synth pattern over a wall of distortion. The electronics are allowed to play out for a long period of time until the vocal arrives to hammer the point into the listener. Excellent use of Synth pattern shown here. The screech that kicks into the sound after the vocal ends, is the perfect cut off to I Won. Control & Dominance does as the title said by stepping up the vastness of the synthesisers and allowing the sound  to throb. Vocals are limited to samples in the background, a gritty distortion begins to overlay the drones and a bigger wall like blast thickens this suddenly, the lack of vocal allows the noise to do the work and build a picture, the samples are buried just enough to allow the noise to be so effective. Low-level electronics and rumbling intertwine with each other on Body Is An Object. A rhythm comes in, the electronics weave in and out of this rapidly.

A similar, but slightly stripped-down use of electronics allows space in the sound for the vocal to return on Straight Line. This allows ambient textures to slowly grow in the track and lead towards its end. A thicker wall of distortion with shouting forms Progression Upon Progression. The distortion falters, so it is less solid and becomes an irregular rhythm for the shout to kick off with. Bareback Purist is literally a bareback use of distortion and screeching, it isn’t smooth; this serves as the perfect backing for the shouting. The backing drone that arrives is excellent, providing a platform for things to break down and remerge upon throughout the track.

The finale is Anal Anomaly, this allows a total fracturing of the track, everything is cut into so it becomes a continual morse code overlay of the stops and starts of different noises. Only the vocal noises are untampered and roar weakly over the noise. I don’t mean weakly as in bad, but the forceful shout isn’t there, it indicates a tiredness, an exhaustion, an end. The choppy distortion gains prominence, becoming forceful as report samples play. This is a textured, cut-up end to the album.

I truly rate this project, Anomaly is a strong album, like their latest album, it just might be excellent. Available from all good distros or directly from Aussaat.

Nothing and Nobody – 2024.

Augmented Atrocity - In Search of Something That Doesn't Exist.

Augmented Atrocity – In Search of Something That Doesn’t Exist – CD – Aussaat – 2024 – Aussaat 31

https://augmentedatrocity.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Aussaatundernte/

1.    Searching, Through Skin. (Removing Thins Within).

2.    In Search of Something.

3.    Dog Without Teeths Can Only Bark.

4.    Pile of Decay.

5.    Echoes of Her High Heels.

6.    Call of the Void.

7.    Entwined With the Vines of Regression.

8.    To An End.

9.    Back to Where It All Started.

Augmented Atrocity is a Finland based project by J.S. he is also the man behind the project Kovana. I am unsure if Kovana still exists or has been replaced by Augmented Atrocity as J.S.’s main project. In Search of Something That Doesn’t Exist is the fourth release by Augmented Atrocity.

Huge synthesiser sounds build a dominant introduction to Searching, Through Skin, bass pops in the background. The sounds here are immediately immense and let us know of Augmented Atrocity’s presence, the vocal is cold and direct, surrounded by the noise, it is the Power Electronics trick of being flanked and becoming one with the surrounding noise. The faux die off to the track abuses sharp frequencies as the bass splutters and chokes. The vocal, bass and drones return at full strength – the rant intensifies with the bass – this creates the overdrive die off.

Splattering synth sounds rumble, blasts of distortion are In Search of Something, short and sweet. A melody plays out and repeats as if it is a locked vinyl group for Dog Without Teeths Can Only Bark, muffled, rumbling noise and a frail narrative appear to work alongside the melody. The rumbling builds up slightly as if to mist over what is happening, both rumble and vocal disappear to leave us alone with the melody again. This is classic Industrial use of aggressive looping.

An infected, distant sound builds on Pile of Decay – flies buzz to create a grim visual. What I hear as metal springs being contact microphoned and hit begin to intervene. A shouted vocal begins to rage into all of this. Everything rises into chaos until elements begin to drop out for short periods of time until it all kicks off again. The vocal here is particularly noteworthy as the shout is original and effective.

Looping, psychedelic drones swirl as a distorted vocal narrates a dialogue, this is the Echoes of Her High Heels. Big synthesiser drones return with a sharp treble movement flowing through them are Call of the Void. The vocal is up there again, on here it is has such a high amount of echo it becomes half noise, half dialogue, as J.S. shouts it is effective as can be. Augmented Atrocity is vocally brilliant on this album. The use of synthesisers here is excellent as they resonate death frequencies impressively. Further looped melodies are Entwined With the Vines of Regression, big synth rumbles loop out too, the two sounds dance in uneasy harmony to allow a fractured vocal to sound off in the background like a dying transmission.  It sounds like a very pissed of distant relative of Faust. Drones and scraping electronics boom over ambient darkness, the electronics sound like they are choking and gasping for To an End. A spiteful vocal adds to the hellish sounds coming out of the track. Menacing electronics brood on Back to Where it all Started, noise from a contact mic thumps in the background. This forms a slow ending that rounds the album off well.

This is a very good album; it could possibly be excellent – make sure you get it.

Nothing and Nobody 2024. 

Entre Vifs - Art of Noises - 110th Anniversary

 

Entre Vifs – Art of Noises – 110^th Anniversary – Vinyl LP – Aussaat – Aussaat 30 – 2023

https://entrevifs.bandcamp.com/music 

                Side 1 – Session 57A -1

                Side 2 – Session 57A – 2

I’ve become increasingly familiar with the works of Entre Vifs through continual reviews for the label Aussaat.  Each of their sessions are recorded at the project’s Noisecraft Workshop, in the Maisons Alfort suburb of Paris, these particular sessions were recorded in November 2019. The theme of this lp is Luigi Russolo’s 1913 Book ‘The Art of Noises.’ I found the first essay in the booklet by Zorin on Noise to be exciting, I liked how he talks about the context of Entre Vifs “Joy Through Noise”. Zorin was active in Le Syndicat since around 1982 so in the booklet he also talks about his reaction to SPK and Throbbing Gristle. The whole booklet could have been this essay expanded as I started to want to know more about the history and present of Industrial Music in France, you know all that stuff Tape Mag site publishes! The text and featured artwork also made me think how I approach my own painting in relation to all this music. The second essay Lyrical Brutalism as Cognitive Art contextualises the work of Entre Vifs beautifully. When releases come with essays, I can be dismissive as I’m not often convinced, but here, I am glad I read through the booklet that comes with the album

Session 57A – 1, scrapes, clangs and sonically barks into life. The wailing of Entre Vif’s homemade instruments is like the sound of a familiar friend as they begin their fractured dialogue. The metallic resonations and clanging echo ricochet around as under-drones hum underneath the work for short time and disappear as if they are a rug pulled from underneath the feet of the main body of noise, leaving a raw, honest rhapsody of noises. That leads to other noises entering and starting to thicken the texture of the session as it shifts into a busier overload of violent joy. As with any piece by Entre Vifs, the movement of the track shifts between fractured and fluid and a wide range of sounds seem to come out of each instrument, they wail and feedback against other noises as if pushed way beyond their own limits. The noises do sound like voices wailing and arguing at times.

The sound on the second side Session 57A 2 is immediately textured, not as densely as the first side, but in away that allows space between all the sounds that are being made. As I have often said the sophistication of what’s happening is evident as new noise language comes into the work, it shifts the flow of the session into other directions. As it breaks off into less noises and eventually one noise wailing off, the shift in density from busy to solo is an impressive contrast to the earlier busier combustion of the session. The work does sound dark at times, without even trying too hard, it doesn’t need any imagery to do that, the instruments shift mood a lot from pained to joyful and anywhere between within a move.

As ever, Entre Vifs has never made a bad album. This vinyl debut is beautifully presented by the cover and large booklet, the sound is sophisticated and outstanding. To be honest I wouldn’t expect any less.

Army of One 2024.

Worth - Hamper.

Worth – Hamper – Aussaat – CD – 2023 – Aussaat23

https://naggecontent.blogspot.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Aussaatundernte/

White Centipede Noise Interview - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8nrprR6ERs

1.    Pomander and Globular Glass.

2.    Black Oleoresin Motif on Teenaged Lucifer.

3.    Penetralia.

4.    Refraction Poison (Mirrored by Presage).

5.    Necrotechnology.

Worth is a USA based project that has been releasing since 2014. The creator of this project was also responsible for Weak Sisters, a project that goes back to 2006 and was active until 2011. Other projects include Other People’s Children, 3 Headed Monster and Experiments in American Music. He has been making Harsh Noise since he was 15 years old. There have been extensive interviews recently in Special Interests Magazine and White Centipede Noise Podcast.

I remember playing this to check it out as I was totally new to Worth’s work when Aussaat sent me this to review. Even by Harsh Noise standards and my familiarity with the genre, I found this to be very Harsh, way beyond what I am used to. Playing Pomander and Globular Glass I am impressed by how harsh this is. I am, I recently realised way ignorant of Japanese Noise that I read about and this being an important development, I wonder if it is as harsh as this? I know there is a slight stream of consciousness thing happening here, but I am having a year 0 moment with Hamper. This seems like digital noise and metal abuse combined to make attack, the approach is, to be amongst the most extreme that I have heard.

Swotting up on the project and artist prior to review, Stabat Mors was mentioned in Special Interests, that is another project I discovered recently as Steve Underwood mentioned I should check them out. I obtained a lot of recordings and have been blown away. Listening there are tones of similar bleakness spread across the work, not in a cloney way, just an undertone that is there, Black Oleoresin Motif on Teenaged Lucifer seems to resonate that undertone. The shift from the Harshness of the previous track to pure bleakness is impressive, even more so as the violent sound returns like a war and the kicks in with aggressive explosions of noise. The noise sounds vocal, a vocal in torment, the other noises range from savage to disturbingly playful.

Bleak landscapes of sound return on Penetralia, this hisses and grinds slowly. Drilling noise takes over, forming a wall of blast, thicker, deep elements then rush in and build the sound up. Thick, churning distortion begins to splatter everywhere and dominate the sound completely, it feels like you are staring face first at the Gates of Mordor, the sound is immense. The work takes a massive shift as other blasts of noise take over and the work accelerates into a bombastic hyperdrive. As the work nearly faulters out and crashes, this furthers a hasty rebuild of sound to continue the high paced noise collision. When the work splutters to single toned drones and whistling feedback, the elements play off each other, as if in conversation until the thicker depths of sound try to return to speed the track to its end.

Steady paced wall distortion and feedback combine with each element flaring alongside the other. Sharper sounds radiate urgency and cut into this, Vocal noise and shrieking feedback take over, this is the sound of Refraction Poison (Mirrored by Presage). I like the frequent shifts the noise makes as if to race through different territories, roaring through a mental landscape at high speed.

Feedbacks and drones take turns to pipe up, distortion and deep drones kick in to build chaos to the track gradually. I like the deep dominating drone that goes off, this would usually be used behind a dense array of noise, but with only a sprinkling of sounds on it, it resonates beautifully. As the sound roars, it is only for short times so other sounds can poke in, it is like muscles flexing and loosening continually. Necrotechnology has skilled control of a set of well curated sounds, the control over the sound is very prominent on the finale. The die-off towards the end is magnificent.

Noise is a personal thing; we all have different definitions of which artists are great. To be completely honest the magazines and podcasts were right Worth; I stand converted to Worth. This is the strongest album from 2023 that I have heard so far.

Army of One, no cliques, no falsehoods, only myself – the struggle is real.  2023.

Circle of Shit - Almost There Now.

Circle Of Shit – Almost There Now – CD – Aussaat – 2022 – Aussaat 25

https://circleofshit.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Aussaatundernte/

1.       All The Happiness Felt.

2.       Cherry Pulsus at Night.

3.       Fucking Amateur.

4.       In B-Low Fidelity.

5.       Watch It Rise!

6.       Insulting The Lonely.

Finish project Circle of Shit has been around since 2011, their first release was Perseita, Perseita, Perseita on Deep Lake Records in 2013. Since then, they have released on Void Singularity Recordings, Nil By Mouth Recordings, Freak Animal Records, Aussaat and Phage Tapes. I’ve reviewed them before and liked what I heard. The CD of this album comes with a booklet, that has impressive artwork that seems to focus on the individual and their relation to the city environment.

A dirge like, slow-moving atmosphere builds on All Happiness Felt. It sounds like field recordings, drones of different pitches and metal abuse combined together. A vocal speaks underneath the sounds, you can’t make it out, but it is there.  This track is an excellent demonstration of control over tone and texture, constantly manipulating both to keep the work captivating. A slower build up begins the album’s longest track Cherry Pulsus at Night, I like the control exhibited over the low-level noise. What I see as infected distortion is used and it hisses across the track gaining increasing prominence in the sound. The metal abuse returns to distort the ambient feel of the track, turning it into abstracted clutter. As low level slowed down noise, I think this is an example of a group completely mastering the technique so the slightest shifts can have a big impact in the work. When the work intensifies in volumes it is armed with full sonic impact.

Fucking Amateur begins like a field recorded riot, a fight complimented by feedback and distortion in the background. A vocal eventually talks over everything and it shifts across the stereo range, left to right and back again. The use of field recording in B-Low Fidelity makes it sound like Circle of Shit are playing in a busy street, kicking off as passers by go about their business, it is as if the band becomes a factor in an environment. The electronic noise sounds like it is alive, like an animal making noises as if to contrast yet simultaneously be part of the environment. Is it noise becoming a life form? The use of wall distortion amongst other noises is good, when it is left on its own, the track becomes a wall. As a wall the track shifts and changes well, it isn’t lazy wall at all. Wall is well, so to speak. The work mirrors different aspects of life and how it relates to it across different tracks.

Circle of Shit masters Death Industrial tinged ambient terror on Watch It Rise. This shows discipline of composition in how it communicates and develops. The rise in sound is controlled, it is never allowed to rip out, the sound doesn’t lead it is executed tightly, consistently. There are sounds in this work that give a Spiritual Sci-Fi feel. The highest volume comes at the end of the track, as if that is what the work was building up to.  A murkier dirge dominates Insulting the Lonely, I like it and want to Dick punch it at the same time. Warped screwy sounds flow through the river of distortion, feedback screams at everything too. This successfully balances the flow of low noise and the chaotic higher pitched elements well. It ends in a recording of people singing with melodic instrumentation.

This album is a demonstration of excellent power, discipline and skill. Another cracking album from artist and label.

I sulked at work today, all on my own 2023.

Yana - Fou

 

Yana – Fou – CD – Aussaat – 2022 – Aussaat 24

https://yanafinland.bandcamp.com/

https://www.discogs.com/label/972977-Aussaat

1.       Jamais Vu.

2.       Trephination.

3.       Mesmerism.

4.       Mantra delire.

5.       Metrazol.

6.       Spectre.

7.       Aphasia.

8.       Diagnosis.

Image from Artist's Bandcamp.

Yana is a noise duo based in Finland, they have been active since 2016. The project has released on labels such as Freak Animal, Total Black and Narcolepsia amongst others. There is little information about the duo online. However, Aussaat seems to find these heavy acts from all over the world and quietly be amassing releases by them over recent years. Will-I-Stasch used to run Cthulhu in the 80s and 90s, they were heavyweight, Aussaat is even more so in that they seem to specialise in modern experimental, Harsh Noise and Power Electronics that performs to high standards.

Haunted noise plays out on Jamais Vu, shuffling, crunching sounds act out in the background. This goes on until a mass of distortion with metal being hit and dropped takes the track’s lead. Spooked drones resonate underneath all of this. The noise is physically pulled to the foreground and the background of the track throughout. A faster, abrasive assault of Harsh Noise goes off over further haunted drones for Trephination. I like the shifts in noise that occur throughout this track, it demonstrates an excellent delivery. The artists handles the speed of the track as it accelerates and gets busier. As with any good noise, the higher pitched sounds can be mistaken for screams as they reach a certain pitch.

The Haunted atmospherics of Mesmerism play out until cluttered noise kicks in as if recorded from a speeding vehicle. What I think Yana does well is bring dark atmosphere into work with ease. When noise kicks off, this is used to add bleak undertones to whatever is occurring. Mesmerism develops and shifts rapidly; the methods and ingredients are always on the move. Mantra delire feels as if you are in a place of worship, bells and chimes fill the sound. What I begin to realise is how this project can really grasp bleakness in a similar way to how Stabat Mors could, the atmospherics here also pull in the methods Cremation Lily did in earlier releases – the combination of both styles makes an impressive experimental sonic spectacle.

Metrazol uses atmospherics combining distortion and field recordings that clash with each other at a rapid speed to form the core assault. As this is altered and tampered with, we get a rapid movement of sound. There are recognisable types of electronic noise used, but the experimentation on other methods keeps it original - I can’t just say a savage display of Harsh Noise from Finland as it is a lot more than that. Further bleak resonating drones collide with distortion and noise on Spectre. It explodes and then dies off; drones and feedback return to allow a further build up of cut up noise to occur. Samples of shouting and screaming really accelerate Aphasia’s intensity. Things go off, events happen from within the noise. Dialogue is sampled on Diagnosis, people talk, scissors cut, humming feedback plays over it. I feel as if I am witnessing something, I am inside the album as it ends.

Finland has a strong reputation in noise. I don’t know who this duo is, but they are brilliant at what they do.

Choppy Noodles 2023.

Aussaat #1

 

Aussaat #1

 

A round up of the latest releases of the German label Aussaat.

Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/Aussaatundernte/

Email - ernten@aol.com

Discogs - https://www.discogs.com/label/972977-Aussaat

Previous review - https://1208fullerave.blogspot.com/search/label/nuori%20veri

Nuori Veri – Kadonnut Maailmankuva – CD – 2021 – Aussaat 20.

       1.    Muistamisen taakka.

       2.    Konttilanoja.

       3.    Ikuisten ystavien kanssa.

       4.    Ratsu F-3.

       5.    Lasi muuttuu hiekaksi.

       6.    Nittyvallankumous.

       7.    Vihrea raunio

How will you act, when your most merciless judge is your own self-respect?

There are no colours in the world, there is just light and the lack of it.

Quotes from translations of the album’s dialogue.

I’m glad that I rarely use the reviewing technique of ‘this sounds like this project’ as it would be a waste of time on Nuori Veri as I have never heard anything that sounds like them before. Nuori Veri have been releasing since 2019 on Brownhill Mafia and Aussaat. I have heard the term Rural Industrial to describe this work before on Special Interests. One of us reviewed them back in 2020 and they were very impressed.

A spoken narrative introduces Muistamisen taakka, a string instrument loop plays through, whilst things are anonymously shuffled around and bumped on a table as sounds of marching create a backing rhythm. Anguished vocals shout over this, the song is hypnotic and ties in with the rural artwork on the album’s cover. Further looped instrumentation and scuffling sounds build Konttilanoja which seems like the first until electronic humming breaks everything up for a spoken narrative to enter the song as the shouting returns to kill everything. More shuffling and scraping play out over the dead space. The drones and narrative return as the shouting goes off in the background. Further dialogue introduces Ikuisten ystavien kanssa, piano melody plays slowly to creaking and rattling in the background, there are many glimpses of beauty on this album, this is a classic example of that. The piano dies off, rumbling and slow, low percussion and a person growling take its place and the narrative continues. The sudden shift of the track from optimistic to bleak is noted. As the piano returns, all is well in a melancholically beautiful way.

A female narrative introduces Ratsu F-3, scraping sounds shift around with rattling pipes to create sound poetry. These create tension and movement upon which feedback can help build for the narrative to drift in and out of it. Resonating feedback ends up dominating and lead the track to its end. Slower wind chime like sounds and a looped scratched sound build Lasi muuttuu hiekaksi. Bass heavy feedback and the familiar shouted male vocal enters the equation as dogs bark in the background. Any use of electronics on this album immediately makes the tracks darker, they signify disturbance and unrest. Delicate piano builds Nittyvallankumous as rumbling and thunder erupts, eventually birds can be heard singing their song. The finale Vihrea raunio feels like a field recording overlaid with dialogue as this ends an accordion plays a tune beautifully with rattling sounds echoing across the soundscape in between passages of speaking. A violin sings its’ tune to the speech as sounds clatter and tap in the background.

Kadonnut Maailmankuva is a work of shining beauty that is unique and close to perfect.

 

Nuori Veri – Vakaumus – CD – 2022 – Aussaat 26.

       1.    Sisainen naky.

       2.    Vaarallinin tie.

       3.    Epailyksen pitka varjo.

       4.    Juuritila.

       5.    Selvinpain portailla.

       6.    Luopuminen.

       7.    Kohti hengen kirkkautta.

       8.    Von haju.

     Taustalla toimivat voimat

This CD is both of Nuori Veri’s early tapes Vakaumus and Vakaumus II and they were released in an edition of 50 on the Brownhill Mafia label in 2019. The artwork themes of bees and rural countryside again occupy the CD case like that of Kadonnut Maailmankuva.

A brief speech introduces a sustained piano melody, the early releases feature longer passages of instrumentation throughout, I feel the beauty of the work was evident immediately as Sisainen naky demonstrates. I like the piano work that appears across Nuori Veri albums. Things die off and contact mic abuse and heavy breathing take over, this rumbles and feeds back until the piano returns to compliment. Feedback and rattling introduce further contact mic abuse and the tape feels like it is being purposely warped and abused as a vocal comes in, less shouted than later recordings but effective as it builds up within the chaos, this is Vaarallinin tie. All dies off, tape warping returns as an intro to Epailyksen pitka vario’s piano melody. The piano is haunted and evocative as it plays a lonely melody, its only company is the shuffling of the microphone, this begins to warp and become disrupted by background noise.

Feedback and humming accompany clattering as the shouting returns on Juuritila, the sound is impassioned and angry. The noise is intense as it plays through to the end pf the track.  Noise returns through contact mic scraping and shuffling - piano melody takes the place of the vocal in Selvinpain portailla which plays out for a long period of time. Luopuminen uses intense rumbling, scraping noise only for field recordings of chickens to take over and this to be then eclipsed by silence and distant background noise. Intensified rumblings become the bulk of the track and the chickens become backing vocals for shouting and raving. This is the most intense track on the album. Rustling and wailing feedback are the intro to Kohti hengen kirkkautta. The wailing feedback changes pitch causing movement of sound as echoes and rustling eventually accompany piano playing. The piano continues as Von haju, which is eventually joined by a vocal. This occasionally cuts out as if it is a loop upon which the vocal is shouted – I am simultaneously amazed and confused by this. Taustalla toimivat voimat, the album’s finale is chaotic until it dies off and things begin to move, clutter, clang and warp. This builds a long passage of noise until piano returns and plays a dramatic song that ends the album.

The sound here isn’t as clear as Kadonnut Maailmankuva there are many elements of it, but they are working differently, yet the work still maintains a constant feel shimmering beauty. These two studies make for an impressive whole.

Alone and Empowered 2022.

Entre Vifs - UB10

 

Entre Vifs – UB.10 – Aussaat – Aussaat 21 – CD – 2022

https://bruitiste.tumblr.com/

https://www.facebook.com/EntreVifs

https://www.facebook.com/Aussaatundernte/

        1.         Session 57B-1.

        2.       Session 57B-2.

        3.       Session 58A-3/a.

        4.       Session 58A-3/b

UB.10 is the 11^th Entre Vifs album since their debut release in 1989, the acclaimed French noise unit has always been centred around Zorin. The album is composed of four live sessions from their Noisecraft Workshop studio that were recorded in 2019. The CD is adorned with bold Brutalist artwork (The label Aussaat does great enamel Entre Vifs badges in this style too), there is also a detailed diagram on the inside that shows what components are used to create the sound. Entre Vifs historically ties in with Le Syndicat, this goes back as far as 1984 (There is a definite Noise OG feel to the work because of these facts). UB10 is limited to 200 CD copies.

The chaotic, manic sound of Entre Vifs is like a familiar friend, the noise screams and yells its hellos at me whilst going to war with its surroundings. Everything grates, drags and accelerates – sometimes all together or at different times to create a shifting tension within the sound. I feel as if I am stuck in an evolving Sci-fi nightmare as shards of sound shoot out around me. When I put this album onto headphones, I noticed a complexed use of distortion that underlies the harsh gasping and choking of the noise. The distortion adds a muddy density that is reinforced by the sharper noise, giving a bigger sound. Distortion barks as it is shifted around and forced into screams, which often leaves me unsure if it is a vocal. When I fall into this thinking, the work’s violence increases massively. Rapid and sophisticated are words that always come to mind when I hear Entre Vifs, I feel that there always solid control behind the apparent chaos given off in each track.

The shifting power of sound is consistent across the album. UB10 is another strong addition to their body of work, Entre Vifs remain a powerful force within today’s ever shifting boundaries of experimental Noise.  

Army of One - 2022.

Edge of Decay - Vein of Metal.

 

Edge of Decay – Vein of Metal – Aussaat- Aussaat 22 – 2022 – CD.

https://www.facebook.com/Aussaatundernte/

https://www.facebook.com/edgeofdecay

https://edgeofdecay.bandcamp.com/

ernten@aol.com

        1.       Rising of Contingency.

        2.       Sterile Stimulation.

        3.       Love Violence.

        4.       Cult of Iscariot.

        5.       Teenage Dreams.

        6.       Vein of Metal.

        7.       Anemia Seducer.

        8.       Infertile.

I haven’t reviewed a lot this year, life gets busy and a family member died. Being a lone project makes for a longer, steeper road in which to engage in and discuss modern day Power Electronics and all related genres. I have written for a few zines of late, I don’t know if that will continue. That has been an epic achievement writing for someone else, but the intense focus needed to do that well takes up a lot of time. I feel the need sometimes to do something alone, could a book on acts of now be the answer? This blog is my engagement within the scene. Back to the now -

Finland artists Edge of Decay have gradually produced a solid body of work since they first appeared in 2012. Having released on labels like Aussaat, Antipatik Records, Freak Animal Records, Obsessive Fundamental Realism and Phage Tapes, as well as playing the final United Forces of Industrial Festival in London, their CV is impressive. The new album Veil of Metal comes in a nicely presented panelled digipack with black artwork on red card. 

Vein of Metal drags into action with its’ intro track Rising of Contingency. A sense of urgency is radiated on Sterile Stimulation, as helicopter noise cuts away to anxious synthesisers. Samples of someone discussing violence serve as an intro to Love Violence at this point the electronics become violent as if the album has warmed up and ready to accelerate the sound. This couples wall distortion and screeching shards of crunching distortion that increase to become more explosive as the track develops.   

Cult of Iscariot models cold Power Electronics, this leans into Tesco Industrial nastiness, it’s not nice to listen to and that is effective work. The electronics become increasingly frenzied across the track, the rhythm is broken up and moved into a different pattern. Infected hiss and rhythmic distortion shift the sound whilst echoing the previous track’s methods on Teenage Dreams. The vocal is undecipherable across the pulsating rhythm of the track, I find myself wanting more from the vocal, I want it to be clearer. The way the rhythm of the noise keeps faltering is effective, it keeps you locked in.  

The title track, Vein of Metal, continues the infected electronics of the previous track, it is an ambient landscape that gives off bleakness. However, it is an impressive display of electronics that displays impressive subtle shifts of noise.  Anemia Seducer feels as if it is dragging across a floor, struggling to survive. The album has gone from infected to dying in two tracks. As the aggression builds, Anemia Seducer becomes a pained, screamer of a track. Infertile demonstrates an impressive die off, it follows off from Anemia Seducer brilliantly providing a dramatic end to the album.

Since its’ first release in 2016 Aussaat has really established itself as a strong, consistent label with Edge of Decay being a highlight amongst the label’s releases with the two albums that they have delivered on Aussaat. This is a good album, well executed and delivered.

Coventry Soul 2022.