The RITA/OVMN

 

The RITA/OVMN – LP – Input Error – 2023 – IE-12.

https://input-error.co.uk/music

https://bakurita.blogspot.com/

https://therita.bandcamp.com/

https://www.discogs.com/artist/127868-OVMN

1.    The RITA  - Salmon Pink Crotch on the Chevelle SS Seat.

2.    OVMN – Head on Collision (Deadly Wreckage)

I am familiar with both artists on this split; I have reviewed the Rita a few times on here and recently bought OVMN’s Land of the Zombies release on Mother Savage Productions. OVMN is Joseph Roemer and Rodger Stella, they have been releasing since 1996 – both of whom also come from Macronympha and run Mother Savage Productions, no pressure here then. The RITA as you will all know is Sam McKinlay, so even more no pressure here then. A bit of Heavyweight reviewing going on here at 1208 North Fuller Avenue.

I was impressed that Input Error sent me this on vinyl, it was very clear to me that the label puts a lot of pride into their releases, judging by the quality of this and the Drug Age CD that I was sent, so maximum kudos to London’s Input Error.

Side One – The RITA’s track Salmon Pink Crotch on the Chevelle SS Seat uses a broken, crackle that abrasively drags along, it has a very real tension to its sound because of this. It drags at its own pace, constantly resisting itself, tearing and ripping on its own stutter. This also causes a slight bounciness to the sound as it jitters and moves around, giving it a slight playfulness. Towards the end the breaks in the static become more dominant, this signifies the sound is dying off, adding a strong compositional factor to the work. The title, when tied into the work makes you think of contact microphones attached between the Chevelle SS seat and the salmon pink crotch as it moves around during driving whilst sat down, is this symbolic of the friction of movements between crotch and seat? Also, with The RITA’s past work about Nylons, does nylon friction come into play? The title, cover art, other RITA obsessions really make the mind race as this work drags onwards. On the other hand, the choking, dragging sounds gives you a feel of imminent disaster or death, which leads us onto the next track.

Side Two - OVMN – Head on Collision (Deadly Wreckage.) OVMN stands for Optimum Volume Maximum Noise whom I have recently familiarised myself with and their Land of Zombies release. The sound of Head on Collision (Deadly Wreckage) has a deep bass roar in the background that is overlaid with a well textured crackle, it feels like an earthquake, cracking the earth’s crust like a biscuit. It feels like the ground disintegrating.  The speed of the sound from the back-roar makes it feel like an accelerating car, driving at a very high speed. The crackle feels like something slowly crushing under impact. Both elements are relentless so it feels like you are caught in a suspended state of acceleration and impact. The density of the sound seems to intensify gradually throughout the 18+ minutes, with the crackle getting more savoury and the bass roar really thickening up, both elements seem more combative towards each other more near the end of the track, they collide.

Conceptually this demonstrates true strength, as well as well thought out, mature, concisely executed work. Each track works with the title and artwork perfectly, it made me think and make associations between all the elements. Top work.

Army of One – focus, the war in the head is real, don’t be distracted. 2023.

MLEHST, The RITA - Fabric and Paint.

MLEHST, The RITA – Fabric and Paint – Belief Recordings -2019- Limited Edition CDR.

https://mlehst.bandcamp.com/

MLEHST is a UK Noise project that has been active since 1991 (there was a defunct period between 2001 and 2005), I’m interested to delve in and find out more. This album contains 3 Paint and Fabric pieces by MLEHST that are all remixed by the RITA with the middle one being Remixed by both RITA and MLEHST.

The first Fabric and Paint (1) is a fractured wall of distortion that is very cut into at first to the point where it is a broken passage sound. I return to my phrase deconstructed wall noise; this is a very extreme example of that. The cuts in the sound seem to make the noise more abrasive and hitting, as if caught in a wind tunnel with the noise movement makes. As the first Fabric and Paint progresses the sound becomes fuller and less chopped up, the distortion begins to overwhelm the cuts in sound as if allowed to breathe more.

Everything changes as silence introduces the second Fabric and Paint (intermission), it is as if we’re allowed a respite from the intensity of the first passage. Spatial Ambient sounds break the silence, rattling noise breaks the calm, it lingers and rattles for a long time reducing the ambient sounds to a backing for a long period of time until it is muffled out as if smothered out with a pillow. It refuses to die and continues, muffled and defiant even as it is cut into more, this ties it in with the first work as it is what I call a broken deconstruction of sound that dies off with silence.

All hell breaks loose for the third Fabric and Paint (2), this is a choppy, splatter wall of noise, crackly and steady. As with any wall the drops, rises – any shifts in movement are felt.  This isn’t tweaked with in any obvious manner, the overall sound seems to be melded into one overall sound rather than front and rear sounds making a layered whole/hole as a lot of walls do – this is one steady line, the MLHEST sound in full flight.

Fabric and Paint is a challenging release, it’s not an album you passively put on, engagement is required, and a solid recording is presented. I look forward to hearing the other stuff I have received as this is very difficult, confrontational and forward-thinking work.

Nevis Kretini 2019.

The RITA - Linked Arms and Touching Torsos.

The RITA – Linked Arms and Touching Torsos – Obsessive Fundamental Realism – OFR CD-07 – 2019

A section of Classical music serves as an intro to Linked Arms and Touching Torsos, it brings the listener to the Ballet, you’ve arrived, and you are ready. The ballet is now a regular them in the recordings of the Rita. I’ve gone into the Walls of Vomir, Dagger HOMExINVASION and the deconstructed walls that pepper the discography of Inner Demons Records, but now I am in The Rita’s territory. Let the wall begin.

I find this (wall) movement fascinating; I know shit about who first did what and where it came from, I’ve asked and I’ve read up, but it would be a scattered inaccurate history from me. I’ve learned to submit to the wall, let it do its work so it can unravel and reveal itself. You go in, listen and pay attention.

Cut is the first sonic fact that is apparent, over the roar of the distortion a sharper distortion is chopped and cut into as hum and hiss are thrown around too. The sharper noise that is jagged into forms a lead sound, backed by the deep roar as if both converse between themselves. This functions like lead and backing, yet both communicate constantly as if in the throes of a violent symphony. 

The level of cut is altered throughout the single piece and has a great impact on the sound, changing it and morphing it throughout. The intensity and drama that appears is intense as the frequency of cut is amplified by sharper sound as if screaming over the wall. When the deeper roar of distortion increases, this intensifies the sound immensely. The shift and change in the work are constant continually referencing itself as the two key sounds change prominence.

Does the music of Ballet go off in the background, is it screened during the making or somehow influence the movement of the work? Is the sharp noise backed by the roar of the wall the amplification of the self and the obsession into an amalgamation of the two into a bigger form presented on this album? I will never know.

As this album ends, it takes a while to regain my bearings. I like this.

Nevis Kretini 2019.

ANTIchildLEAGUE /The RITA split cassette

ANTIchildLEAGUE / THE RITA – split tape.2018. Cassette. Obsessive Fundamental Realism.

Obsessive Fundamental Realism - http://obsessivefundamentalrealism.blogspot.com/

ANTIchildLEAGUE - https://antichildleague.bandcamp.com/

https://hagshadow.net/

The RITA - http://bakurita.blogspot.com/

ANTIchildLEAGUE

-Elephant in the room you can control.

-I’d rather stay in my hell than share your paradise. No remorse.

-Psychometric test.

-Larva epidemic.

THE RITA

-Gaya Donadio Study (Audio and Aesthetic).

The ACL side of this split starts small with eerily atmospheric and minimal sound. It eventually juxtaposes vague background dialogue and noises that gradually build up. Beeps and drones are playful; other sounds contrast this by snarling at and threatening the listener. In parallel to this the sound shifts from being chaotic to knowingly structured.

On here vocals are used as noise and aren’t often coherent or spoken; screamed hysteria cuts into tracks dramatically and builds extra layers on what is already there. On later tracks beeps and drones become nauseous and intimidating as horrible vocal sounds bully until waves of static offer an alternate static, waves of static distortion flood the proceedings. Larva Epidemic is part ambient soundscape interrupted by urgent repetitive noise.

ACL gleams when the noise is left to do most of the work and titles are suggestive without binding the work too tightly to an overall concept. As I play this release I can immediately say that this is thankfully the  ugliest, rawest ACL release in ages – Best work yet.

The Rita are now a duo of Sam McKinlay and Arlie Doyle, they deliver a slab of noise which is direct and immediate; you are thrown straight in the middle of layers of deep, dense, static walls of distortion. This is cut into with drops and quick stops in sound intermittently with change provided by some impressive shifts across the stereo range and changes of the overall tone of the walls sound. Screaming noise reveals behind the main wall of static and its continually crackling distortion as my attention shifts.

As with many Rita releases the cover is adorned with legs, this time in fishnet stockings/tights. Gaya Donadio appears on the rear cover in heavy eyeliner and a fishnet mask. Women’s legwear - a regular Rita theme dominates this recording. I personally respect this dedication to one’s own interests and with this I finally get why I love the Rita releases that I have. The bold abstract qualities of The Rita have forced the same out of ACL resulting in a solid recording that is typical of Obsessive Fundamental Realism’s growing line of releases.

Choppy Noodles - 2018