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Post by davebowman on Aug 25, 2016 21:05:05 GMT -5
Hadn't heard anything about this before, but a new album is out next month on Oaken Palace Records. On vinyl only, comes in either green vinyl standard edition (limited 500 copies), or deluxe version (limited 20 units) - only difference in the deluxe version appears to be the sleeve art.
"Incomparable noise legend Merzbow releases a dense, flailing black hole of a droning noise track, 33 minutes spread over two sides of green vinyl. Aside from several very limited releases and multiple adventurous collaborations, it’s the first full Merzbow record to be released on vinyl for a couple of years.
Starting with an intense machine hum, “Kakapo” then shrieks, stutters and wails while maintaining the all-obliterating industrial drone. Amidst electronic solar flares and insect metal clanging, it’s a harsh curtain of endless crushing, rumbling immersion. Simultaneously soothing and wild, machinelike and warm (depending on the settings of your drone antennae), it’s a rare and strange creature, like the endangered bird that the album raises money to protect.
Tracklist: A – Kakapo Pt. 1 (16:42) B – Kakapo Pt. 2 (16:03)
Having advocated for animal rights and environmental issues for years, Merzbow dedicates this release to the Kakapo, a flightless parrot native to New Zealand whose total population is sadly below 200. Profits will be donated to the Kakapo Recovery Trust."
www.oakenpalace.com/product/merzbow-kakapo/
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Post by andypandy380 on Aug 27, 2016 3:56:15 GMT -5
Despite my bitching about vinyl on here yesterday, I've gone and ordered one of these... At least it comes with a download card, and it's from a UK based label so getting hold of a copy wasn't out of the question for me. Looking forward to hearing it, don't honestly know what it'll be like but sounds fairly promising
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Post by davebowman on Sept 16, 2016 14:00:35 GMT -5
Mine arrived today - I really like it. No repetitive loops, no drums - just long, hypnotic feedback drones with little fizzles of high pitch static peppered on the top. It feels like a very 'pure' noise release, if that makes any sense. My only complaint is that at 33 minutes it's on the short side for a Merzbow album, but it's a nice package and all in a good cause.
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Post by andypandy380 on Sept 17, 2016 5:11:38 GMT -5
Same, Just listened through it too. It's pretty good, I like the drawn out continuous style of it, not especially harsh on the ears, it's like bathing in rich drones and sounds. Although it was recorded in April of this year, the only slight complaint I have is that to me it sounds very familiar of albums released around 2011/2012... Kamadhenu, LopLop and Kibako... not that its such a bad thing as I think all those albums are really strong.
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Post by acsenger on Oct 1, 2016 17:49:33 GMT -5
It seems there's no sample on the label's website. Quite baffling in 2016... Although, regardless of how much I liked it, I probably wouldn't order it due to the shipping cost.
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Post by davebowman on Oct 1, 2016 20:16:41 GMT -5
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Post by acsenger on Oct 2, 2016 11:52:39 GMT -5
Thanks! I'll listen to it today.
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Post by acsenger on Oct 4, 2016 4:14:00 GMT -5
Perhaps I shouldn't say this after one listen, but I'll go ahead anyway and say that this album might just be the most boring Merzbow release I've heard... I just couldn't find any standout moments. To start with, the unchanging drone from beginning to end is unappealing to me from the beginning, let alone for the duration of the whole album. Furthermore, it might be the quality of the upload on Bandcamp, but at first I thought something's wrong with the cable connecting my iPad to my hi-fi as the sound was so muffled. It turned out there's nothing wrong and that's how the album sounds.
Overall, I thought it was extremely uninspired, much like the recent Masami Akita picture LP. You might say I should give both another listen, but I just don't think I'd discover something drastically new upon a second listen...
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