Threatening Reflections - Mosquito Larve in the Birdbath.

 

Threatening Reflections – Mosquito Larvae in the Birdbath – Cassette, C20 – Virtues – VTUL010 – 2023

https://www.virtueslabel.com/

I’ve bought many releases on Alex Kmet’s Virtues label since it began in 2020. There have been impressive works by Doll, Corporate Park, Jon Mueller, SV8, Fog of Joy, Kate Rissiek and Climax Denial amongst others in that time. I like the presentation and the wide range of work by artists that the label puts out.

This is the second ever appearance by the Climax Denial side project Threatening Reflection, the first was in a split release with Climax Denial on Violent Whatever in 2007 – two sides of the same artist. I like the 16-year gap between releases and this is the first stand-alone release by Threatening Reflections.

The cassette is printed and presented in a pard clouded, part clear cassette case. The inner card folds out and there are images of mysteriously dead animals printed in colour with a shot of a Mosquito larvae with trees and long grass in the background on the inside cover. The artwork clearly and beautifully sets the theme to the work. I say this, as each of the images are like works of art in themselves, with the front cover images seen as either staged scenarios or natural accidents captured within a landscape.

The untitled work becomes a landscape of sound, initially formed through drones that remind me of the work of Angus MacLise or La Monte Young. This quickly moves into its own territory through the dragging vocal sounds, subtle glitch sounds and noises that seem to reference bad weather, each running through the sound at different times. I feel as if I am lost in an American rural landscape that shifts from plaguing me with fear, to overwhelming with natural beauty as I try to navigate it. These aspects cause the release to live up to the threatening part of the name, but it is also serves as a strangely seductive reflection at the same time.

One of my favourite Climax Denial releases is the Sexuality Is a Curse release on the short-lived IDES Recordings label in 2006. To me that recording is Climax Denial presented as something other than the genres that are frequently tied to the project. This release also does that and easily matches Sexuality Is a Curse in terms of how good and how unique it is.  Mosquito Larve in the Birdbath is a short but very strong release that demonstrates the different facets of beauty that Alex Kmet can create in his recordings.  

One and one alone, 2023.

Climax Denial #3

Climax Denial – Indolence – CD/Download – Abhorrent A.D. - AAD69

https://abhorrentafterdeath.bandcamp.com/album/climax-denial-indolence

https://www.virtueslabel.com/ (Still available from)

1.   Strong Nude Exhausts A Landscape.

2.   Clogged Drain.

3.   III (Mental)

4.   Shell In Muscle Fantastic Passion.

5.   Last Chance.

Indolence – An inclination to laziness.

Online dictionary definition. (merriam – webster)

I collect this project; I get everything that I can, but I have only reviewed him twice on here - my bad. Since 2005’s Little Wood Rose for Little Love Knife the discography of Climax Denial has steadily grown, as has the project’s reputation. Past interviews in As Loud as Possible and more recently in Special Interests have cemented the projects reputation. The image is a photo of a man with Lymphatic disease.

Harsh noise that feels like it is recorded with real metal and contact microphones explodes to create Strong Nude Exhausts A Landscape. Metal clangs throughout the roaring distortion, things stop, kick off and generally explode. This is release follows Asexual Electricity as a real foray into Harsh Noise. This has always been a part of Climax Denial’s many approaches, but these last two releases truly dive full into the genre. Blasts of electronics fuse into the physical sounds of metal clattering throughout the savagery of the piece.

Hissing goes off, we have Clogged Drain as sounds echo in the distance. This short track makes way for the burst of Power Electronics Harshness that is III (Mental), jarring feedback and distortion collide, the aggression is faster than the previous tracks. The throb of bass underneath the sound begins to pulsate and control how the other elements work on the track. This gets also develops a level of fucky digital noise as the sounds reach full explosion, the layering of elements is also impressive, giving a strong attention to finer detail of sound.

Menacing drones, shouting, cluttering and speech samples drop us into the dronier, bleak side of Climax Denial as demonstrated in 2015’s Dehumanizing Environments, this reminds us how nasty and cold the project can get. Last Track, Last Chance, an explosion of distortion throwing out an array of noises revs onwards. This track dies off with a drop in sound to reinvigorate with explosions of metal being hit and roaring distortion. Everything goes into hyperdrive until the die off, end.

The two shorter tracks delve into strange territories that remind us of the oddness of Climax Denial, it reminds us of who we are listening to. This isn’t the typical American Power Electronics, macho ex-metal guy who found PE through Relapse Records, this is the real weirdo oddball who came into Industrial Music and kicked off. The quest continues with new work and new sides to the sound emerging at different times. Great album, I can’t say enough great things about this project.

Army of One, 2023.

Corporate Park - Exchange.

Corporate Park – Exchange – Virtues – LP – 2020 – VTUL001

https://www.virtueslabel.com/

https://corporatepark.bandcamp.com/

https://senglish.bandcamp.com/

         1.    Disconnected.

         2.    Intimate Precision.

         3.    Evidence.

         4.    Love Letter.

         5.    Delusional Visions.

         6.    Losing Myself in Dark Eyes.

         7.    Fade Out, Loena.

         8.    Over Dinner.

Exchange was the debut release by Texas duo Corporate Park in 2009 on the now defunct Sexkrime Arts label, this was run by Alex who does Climax Denial; it is now given the full vinyl reissue treatment on his new Virtues label. There have been seven releases by Corporate Park in total since their debut, they are still active today.

Rhythmic machine gun pulsations play alone until a warped, screamed vocal pierces through everything. The vocal grabs the listeners attention as it is continually warped and twisted, it also sounds pained and inhuman – the vocal is turned into an abstracted noise. This coupled with the choppy rhythm make an impressive combination, WTF am I hearing? A more digitally backed beat kills this and takes precedence, Intimate Precision is cold, the spoken vocal comes in with an emotionless delivery that ties in with the Germanic greatness of Haus Arafna - this contrasts the opening track well.

Evidence displays complexed beats and ties in with another vocal warped beyond any recognisable dialogue, it just echoes across the track like a ghost. Further bleak Electronica forms Love Letter, the vocal is noise again, I don’t know what it is saying as the synths kick in, again demonstrating a complete lack of emotion, this feels like the soundtrack to murder on a cold night. Echoing electronics give us Delusional Visions, this repeats itself and radiates ominous vibes. Whispers introduce a concise rhythm pattern as a French female vocal whispers and talks at speed as it is joined by synthesizers. This all continues until we are left with lone whispers in our ears.  

A nocturnal beat and spoken vocal forms Fade Out, Loena, subtle electronica forms a loop behind this. The album constantly has the feeling that it was created in a lonely building extremely late at night because played at midnight this album makes perfect sense. Bleak shufflings and field recordings show a different approach for the last track Over Dinner. The looped noises, samples and mumblings feel like being held hostage in their nightmare.

I like the minimal beats and the noise they make out of the vocals a lot of the time, throwing in occasional dialogue to break up the abstraction stops the album getting repetitive. Exchange demands and holds the attention; you are stuck in the Exchange – I felt I couldn’t go until the album let me. The methods used are simple and effective. Looking for more info on the duo didn’t really deliver much, only some rabid live performances and further evidence they have continued to progress these methods over the years.  Exchange is an obscure gem, a slab of cold Texas weirdness, I can see why it had to be reissued.

Army of One 2021.

Doll – Comfort is a Disease

 

Doll – Comfort is a Disease – Cassette/Download – 2021- Virtues

https://www.virtueslabel.com/

https://xaylababydoll.bandcamp.com/album/comfort-is-a-disease

https://daisyelectronics.bandcamp.com/

Doll has been releasing since 2019 and is the project of one Xayla Daisy. There have been recordings on many labels, this is Doll’s first release on Virtues. This is one project that I have been meaning to review for a long time, so now is the time.

The torture Garden seems to be centred around a field recording of busy city life, the recording sounds busy and lively, just as a field recording it sounds good, I imagine myself there as the sounds play out. There seems to be a wave of distortion, it could be surrounding noise. Then, what sounds like either single instruments or something like a singing bowl begins to make ominous tones over the sounds. It sounds odd like early Ultra did, in some ways like nothing else that is around now.

Further field creepiness is demonstrated on Hair in My Mouth, Rotting Meat in my Pocket. Something gets hit forming a slow percussion as synthesisers give off notes of light melody. The creepiness is also simultaneously beautiful – by now I am relishing the unique beauty of Doll.

Aggressive confrontation and shouting play out as tones play over the top creating Water Flow. This is darker in sound than Rotting Meat… it is suspenseful and at times cinematic, especially as the shouting turns to a Water flow. Samples of metal being clanged and recordings of a man giving a pointed, abusive dialogue are overlaid by tones and drones – this is A Softer Angel. Everything works together beautifully as the mans comments get nastier.

The title track Comfort is a Disease like the others has a central field recording – this one sounds wet and splashy. I am usure what is going on. Tones play out over the top of it, the two converse for a long time. Drones appear at some point, clashing and clanging go off in the background, this turns to sharp tones and strings being abused. The longer track length allows for more changes and developments to happen in the passage of sound. It all makes for an effective sonic landscape; even as it dies out and we are left with water, it is beautiful. We reach the end with Becoming Concrete, subtle distortion and synth harmonies play out, like a broken broadcast from Phoenix Arizona.

I would describe this project as definitely being out on its own, following its own path. The album is the product of unique vision and an ambitious sound. I think this is a great release and would happily recommend it to anyone.

Army of One 2021