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Volcanic Tongue (Glasgow, by David Keenan)
August
31st, 2008
TIP OF THE TONGUE
Junko & Mattin
s/t
Tochnit Aleph 080
LP
£13.99
Second brain-peeling instalment of vocal/computer extremity from
two
masters of the form, Mattin of European avant-punks Billy Bao et al and
Junko
of Japanese noise legends Hijokaidan. The combination of Junko’s high,
otherworldly vocal improvisations and Mattin’s scalpel-sharp electronic
environments push the whole flesh-metal equation of modern ecstatic
noise into
the kinda euphorically violent realms of classics of the form like
Harry
Pussy’s Let’s Build A Pussy, early Whitehouse, the saxophone
eviscerations of
Masayoshi Urabe et al., indeed, the first side – a vocal ‘duet’ between
Mattin
and Junko – feels like a more overtly sound-poetry informed take on the
Whitehouse sound circa Total Sex, while parts of the flip, made up of
solitary
Junko vocals cut up with incisions of symmetrical noise, are so
reductively
alien that it could almost be a candidate for one of Alan Licht’s
legendary
Minimalism Top Tens. Either way, it’s a beauty. Highly recommended.
Sound Projector # 17 (UK)
Another Mattin project, this one featuring Junko, the
great Japanese
screaming lady from Hijokaidan; the pair have infamously collaborated
before, to devastating effect. I've no practical advice to offer as to
how you might prepare yourself for this one; it's a potent dose of
terrifying ultra-noise. The A-side, 'Stop It', is a side-long non-stop
blast of insufferable screaming and vicious electronic buzz; it's
distressing, painful, and horrific. Personally I admitted defeat in
short order, waved my white flag and quickly lifted up my Linn Axis
tone-arm away from this continuous shriek. Side B, 'Too Late', is
marginally more manageable. The sonic elements are separated out and
leavened with silent passages; perhaps it's fragments of the recordings
used on the A side. Actually, it's no easier to listen to; although the
silence offers some relief, it's twice as painful when the shrieking
and electronic reverbed metallic noise bursts rush back in, dealing you
a series of sharp and painful body-blows. Plus, the editing is
deliberately contrived to provide a completely disjunctive listening
experience, the very antithesis of entertainment. Talk about your
double whammy! Its presence on Tochnit Aleph may suggest this LP is
something of an art-prank, but Mattin and Junko are serious artists;
this is one that really challenges the large audience of listeners
(including this writer) who would like to enjoy and consume noise
records as some sort of slightly perverse entertainment. With this, our
secret desires are laid bare, and this toxic spew is thrown back in our
faces as we try to get near the trough of feed. Yell 'stop it' as often
as you like; nobody will heed your cries for mercy.
ED PINSENT 22/09/2008
http://tochnit-aleph.com/
Chondritic
Sound (USA)
I keep buying these Hijokaidan related things, even if I know it's pretty much hazardous when name "mattin" is on same cover. He did very well in adding sounds to Consumer Electronics, but previous collaboration with Junko I strongly disliked. This LP has two pieces. One side, it's Junko's trademark clean ultra high pitched scream + Mattin's distorted yelling/howling. One simply things if he could shut up for change and leave vocals to vocalist. To me it sounds annoying. Distortion applied to his voice makes it blurred, non aggressive (if it ever was), non interesting. Element what can only annoying and ruin the piece. But when side is turned and he indeed goes back to do lap-top noise, I keep wondering should he actually stayed doing vocals? Junkos screaming is short quick whailing and squeeling, and Mattin squeezes out short synthetical & plastic sounding noises. They stop'n'go like there would be mute switch on for half of the side. I can admit, it is disturbing. It is somewhat "original" and painful, but most of all, it's crappy. It doesn't have any quality what I associate with good noise sound. Flat, synthetic, sometimes even glitchy. What I have to give credit, is great cutting of this LP. Silent moments are 100% silent. No surface noise. Junkos voice is sharp and clear and fierce in very same way as he solo LP. But who's this Mattin dude? Why he seems so famous? Where are his good works? I saw one great gig, but that was just conceptual art/performance, not noise. FreakAnimalFinland
discography
w.m.o/record label
desetxea net label
www.mattin.org