Mai12 - No Input

 

Mai12 – No Input – Download/CDr – 2021 – Self Released.

https://mai12.bandcamp.com/album/no-input

          1.    No Input

Τimes of mental isolation, times of mental insulation. Stimulations are almost non-existent or have minimal impact. Creativity conflicts with the urge for null activity. One must re-route their process in order to evict this solitary and no-input condition. But there is a no-input technique that turns any regular sound mixer into an instrument that can generate sound by connecting the output of the mixer into one of its inputs, resulting in a feedback loop which can be played and controlled using the mixer's knobs, faders and routing options. A re-routing activity for creating something out of nothing, by connecting something (back) to itself.

Mai12 – 2021.

This is the 39th Mai12 album release, so doing as Mai12 asks, putting headphones gives the best quality to the project. This wall has a deep, dragging roar. There is a sharper background hiss cutting through the deeper sounds. The sharper distortion becomes as prominent as the deeper blast as the work moves on. I like the written concept as this seems like an endless, shifting loop of distortion that wavers, at times new sounds seem to generate and pulsate through the noise. The sound does seem to intensify and radiate more further along the release, at times it seems to be able to blend in to one, depending on how you listen – concentration can help identify different sounds, you can zone in and out at will. This is a strong wall with good, shifting movement.

I find Mai12 like Dosis Letalis always seem to be continually thinking conceptually about their work and challenging the listener through their sounds. Good, strong work as always.

Army of One 2021.

Inner Demons Records #9, Mai 12 & Veronica Moser

Mai 12 & Veronica Moser – Split [IND075D} – 2 X 3” CDR – Inner Demons Records – 2020.

https://innerdemonsrecords.bandcamp.com/album/split-ind075d

https://www.facebook.com/InnerDemonsRecords/

https://mai12.bandcamp.com/

https://kaitoulakotsari.bandcamp.com/

      1.    Mai12 – Noise Gets Harsher Just Before Extinction.

      2.    Veronica Moser – 1

      3.    Veronica Moser – 2

      4.    Veronica Moser – 3.

This split CDr on Inner Demons is two Greece based projects Veronica Moser who is new to this blog and Mai 12 who have been reviewed on here before. This CDR comes in the trademark Inner Demons 3” CDr format with the Black and White Artwork that the label is now well known for.

Broken and refigured walls are one of the labels main sonic interests, Mai 12 specialises in this method. Noise Gets Harsher Just Before Extinction is one long just under 22 minutes track that begins with a deep bass roar that has a low crackle alongside it. A sound like water dripping seems to slowly grow into the noise as if leaking constantly into the wall. The main distortion slowly reaches a crisper tone as Noise Gets Harsher develops. The water noise continues as a chipping digital sound develops, this cuts into the work like a pinprick as the main roar slowly increases in ferocity as the track unfolds. A sense of breakdown and overdrive is subtly buried into the later part of the piece as if to force an end to the work – the Noise does get Harsher before its’ extinction.

Veronica Moser’s sound leans into Power Electronics more, continuous digital, pulsating noise goes off as it throbs and distorts subtly. As the main noise drops the distortion remains as the drones rebuild and echoes of noise converse before full flight is regained. In some ways this is wall noise, but too odd in its use of PE sounds and ambient echoes, I find this track impressive and like it. It is almost a broken dance track as a rhythm throbs, yet there is no beat, 1 is a demonstration of oddness.

2 sounds like fractured symphonics before a noise assault kicks in, this again is fractured and digital, it warbles with distortion, the bass that is buried is evident through subtle throbbing. Suspenseful keys build heavier barrages of warbling distortion until synthesizer sounds signify the end. 3 is a lot spacier in sound the overall sound does echo and throb (less) but uses more ambient sounds at first. Churning drones seem to form the background as the ambient, lighter sounds circle in the foreground. The track goes through several shifts as the tension increases and decreases continually. I like this project a lot.

This is one of the labels best releases, both acts fit well together and deliver excellent tracks. The sound and presentation are like on a lot of the label’s releases - habitually brilliant.

Nevis Kretini 2020.

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.

Inner Demons Records #2 Mai 12 - Wir Sind Die Terroristen.

Mai 12 – Wir Sind Die Terroristen, Gegen Die Touristen. 2018. 4 x 3”CDR Box set. Inner Demons Records. IND051B.

https://mai12.bandcamp.com/

https://innerdemonsrecords.bandcamp.com/

Tracklist.

     1.    19:59

     2.    19:59

     3.    19:59

     4.    20:43

Wir Sind Die Terroristen, Gegen Die Touristen , translated - We are the terrorists, against the tourists.

I’ve been listening to Mai 12 since I did a Facebook Group Assault last year. This is where I go into a Facebook Noise group and review a few chosen artists who are advertising their sounds in there. During the assault I found Mai 12 with their gorgeously presented split with La Nuit Qui Tombe, I liked both artists and particularly Mai 12’s walls of subtle crackle. When I saw this 2018 box, I had to have it, the presentation was amazing, and it was 4 mini CDRs of Mai 12. Mai 12 are based in Thessaloniki, Greece and are currently living on the volcanic island of Nisyros, Greece. Members are Karl Grümpe and Rene p.g. They release their own uniquely designed tapes and cdrs, as well as on other labels and have been active since 2017.

Inner Demons is all about the art of the 3” CDR. To look at this little box is a treat, the bold black and white artwork, the delicate inserts, and small CDRs in plastic sleeves, it’s a perfect and amazing aesthetic object. I have wanted this for months, now it’s mine ever since finding out about the label in one of Facebook’s HNW groups - I bought 2 Inner Demons boxes in this haul. Each disc is titled by its running time. However, Wall reviewing is tough, you need to go right in there, so off I go.

The first disc has the Mai 12 ever present warm crackle; I can’t help relating it to Volcanos now I have spoken about them. The distortion seems untraceable, there is a depth of bass and movement resonating within. The sound seems to roll over itself, as if it is a shifting void in continual movement. The movement of back sound happens within the work, small shifts, accelerations, scrapes and tweaks between this and the front crackle happen. Humming pulsations are faintly recognisable in the background at the later stages of the piece too.

The second 19:59 is a more intense crackle that is deeper in sound. The background hum has a higher bass frequency and seems to communicate by bobbing. Frontal crackle is wavier, choppier and more defined in its texture. This is more of a straight wall piece that doesn’t roll like the earlier track.

The third 19:59 seems more immediate in being at the full depth of the work, the crackle again is rich. The background sounds are slightly more vortex like in depth as if slightly empty. But the crackle again dances at the forefront of the work and contrasts against this greatly, the odd falter has a dramatic impact, it jolts the attention.  The backing sound shifts and morphs throughout the track to a resonating hum that moves around the crackle to vary the interplay of sounds. AS the session progresses the distortion splatters more, causing interesting jolts to affect the levels of the work.

Finally, 20:43, the faltered levels of the previous disc are continued here as humming pulsates repetitively in the background. It’s difficult to fully identify the backgrounds in most walls, which is good as it adds mystery to the work. The crackle/distortion in this work is by far the most unsettled, it dances around massively goaded on by the pulsating back noise. The forefront sounds eventually begin to drag, the background gets increasingly creaky and both become livelier as the work nears its end.

For me, it’s brilliant having so much Mai12 in one box. Whether these are from the same session or a collection of different sessions I don’t know. This is rich work, if you like it and it’s great to have such a collection of sessions together. For any lover of Mai12s work or HNW listener this is an essential addition to any collection. I thoroughly recommend it.

Choppy Noodles 2019.