NP-48 - REGLER + COURTIS - Regel #13 [Noise Rock]
LP (200 Copies) Nashazphone (Cairo)
Out April 2024

TRACKLIST & CREDITS:
SIDE I
• I (19:26)
SIDE II
• II (18:26)

Realized between 2010-2022 in Stockholm and Buenos Aires
Vinyl Master & Lacquer Cut by Rashad Becker – Clunk
Artwork by Yoshihiro Kikuchi
Thanks to Martí Manen


Regler resume their series of genre dedicated concept albums following 12 releases which focused on Metal, Harsh Noise Wall, Techno, Free Jazz, No Wave, Blues, Classical Music, Minimalism, Ambient and more. The duo of Mattin (Billy Bao, Josetxo Grieta) and Anders Bryngelsson (Brainbombs, No Balls) are joined on this new chapter by the unique Anla Courtis (Reynols). Devoted to Noise Rock, a genre where all 3 artists had significant contributions - to say the least. This new instalment follows the same guiding principle previously adopted of stripping down a genre to its bare essentials. Here they capture the essence of Noise Rock over two minimal, unrelenting, motorik and hypnotic pieces.
Nashazphone

***

“A vortex, a never-ending vortex”, that’s how Anla Courtis described Reynols’ music (his most prolific and best-known project, along with Roberto Conlazo and Miguel Tomasín) at a recent interview in WIRE magazine. And that’s exactly how this gorgeous maelstrom of sonic detritus feels. Basque sound explorer, brilliant thinker, and art-world agitator Mattin (Billy Bao, Al Karpenter, Josetxo Grieta…) and Swedish wild drummer Anders Bryngelsson (Brainbombs, No Balls…) created Regler 10 years ago as a series of releases dedicated to stripping specific music genres to the most basic bare bones of sound essence. Each of the albums released by the duo is dedicated to a single genre (Techno, Dub, Heavy-Metal…) and their #13 (no better number for such a wicked sonic artifact) is, of course, a brutal display of joyful noise-rock. However, and as in any of the twelve previous, the stubborn minimalism of the sonic fabric and basic structure, at the same time allows for its absolutely fascinating, weird, and incomprehensible matter. No more than guitar and drums, a relentless motoric rhythm and a cacophonous growl that seem to exist in parallel, reckless, and almost autistic realities, fading, erupting, raising and finally collapsing on its own marvelous sonic delirium. Much like championing incompetents as The Dead C, the music in Regel #13 confronts us with our own beliefs and preconceptions. It’s not that much what the actual sound is but what it makes within our minds. It forces us to listen at a granular level, free of any formal convention, as if it was the first time we are exposed to such an experience. The complexity of the universe can be found in a single atom and vice versa once you let yourself drown in the vortex. It's funny and it makes so perfect sense that Anla Courtis has joined the duo this time that it makes us wonder how these guys never got together before. But then we learn this project has been 12 years in the making and it all makes perfect sense. No one else could have fitted any better and understood the nature of this beast called noise rock than the Argentinian sorcerer. But it needed time to grow slowly in the shadows, at its own path and at the path that the extremely busy agenda of its creators and let it choose the right time to emerge. And the time is now.
Antton Iturbe



Radio plays:
https://www.citr.ca/radio/bepi-crespan-presents/episode/20240322/
https://www.citr.ca/radio/bepi-crespan-presents/episode/20240330-2/
https://www.ivoox.com/episode-331-the-institute-of-spectra-sonic-sound-4-6-24-audios-mp3_rf_127086518_1.html
https://www.tumblr.com/still-single/747386184615034880/heathen-disco-no-373-listen-now?source=share
https://www.radiopanik.org/emissions/l-etranger/show-481-charmed-ungodly-wayleave/
https://www.citr.ca/radio/bepi-crespan-presents/episode/20240510/
https://kfjc.org/listen/playlist?i=73253
https://kfjc.org/listen/playlist?i=73282
https://dustedandsocial.tumblr.com/post/754981427971522560/dustedsocial-ep-25-7-3-24


Thee Now Show by Mark
Three D Radio – 93.7FM – Adelaide Community Radio





Reviews:

Norman Records

The duo of Mattin (Billy Bao, Josetxo Grieta) and Anders Bryngelsson (Brainbombs, No Balls) aka Regler continue their series of albums dedicated to a single genre with Regel #13 [Noise Rock]. Here they're joined by Argentinian legend Anla Courtis of Reynols to distil noise rock to its very essence. The results are a sizzling, glorious caustic racket that sounds like the mutant spawn of Skullflower and Big Black.


Meditations (Japan)

まるで、NEU!の"Hallogallo"meeysノイズ・ロックな前半があまりにも爽快です！Sun City GirlsやSmegma、Ramleh、Costesなどのリリースも知られるエジプトのカルト・レーベル〈Nashazphone〉からは、Mattin (Billy Bao, Josetxo Grieta)とAnders Bryngelsson (Brainbombs, No Balls)の2人からなる名デュオReglerと、アルゼンチンの伝説的音響ノイズ集団ReynolsのAnla Courtisがコラボレーションした24年度アルバム『Regel #13 [Noise Rock]』がアナログ・リリース。ミニマルかつモータリックで容赦なく、催眠的な2曲を通じて、極限まで削ぎ落とされたノイズ・ロックのエッセンスを表現した大変グレートな一枚！名匠Rashad Beckerの手による〈Clunk〉でのマスタリング&カッティング仕様。


Boomkat (Manchester, 4th April 2024)

Mattin and Anders Bryngelsson are joined by Reynols' Anla Courtis on this fuzzed-out celebration of noise rock, their most furious exercise yet, burning down the genre to its embers, leaving a mess of distorted riffs, motorik rhythms and hypnotic, swirling feedback. Heavy as fuck!

Regler have already spent 12 volumes of their Regel series putting their grubby thumbprints on metal, techno, classical music, ambient and just about everything else you can think of, but it's here where they really hit their stride. They've roped in Argentinian original Courtis - co-founder of Reynols, no less - to assist, and it sounds as if they're truly relishing the opportunity to let loose. On the first side, a severe, almost hollow-sounding motorik beat provides the backbone, and the trio show their literacy with the sound by twisting blown-out riffs into fizzing, acidic fractals. If there's any low-end, it's swallowed whole by slashed amps and hoarse groans, but Mattin, Bryngelsson and Courtis offer us a breather, cutting to eerie, black hole rumbles at the 11-minute mark before raging towards relentless, searing feedback.

On the flip, the drums are eviscerated, leaving plenty of space for Regler + Courtis to push their gargling textures centre stage. Anyone familiar with Bryngelsson's tenure with Brainbombs is gonna be beaming at this one - it's a noise education, rubbing bubbling hotwired oscillators against strangulated axe screams and brickwall distortion. Even the feedback doesn't fully get a chance to flower until the third act, and when you can eventually make out the drums, they're drowned by razor-sharp, brittle nails-on-chalkboard groans and synthesized whirrs. Somehow, the trio keep building the intensity, the final few minutes sound as if they're physically burning through the speakers, foregrounding the kind of blistering, in-the-red grot that rarely makes it to wax these days.

Heavvy.


BeachSloth Substack (28th April 2024)

Searing, hot pain dripped into my eardrums. Yes, please! I appreciate the level of dedication in showing exactly what noise rock is. The fact that this album has two massive, unruly slabs of ungodly terror is an additional bonus. At least, this loudness brings me to an almost meditative world, where I can finally block out the rest of what is around me and entirely focus on the noise. I have several people to thank for this beautiful exploratory experience.

The level of avant-garde royalty included in these two extended cuts is simply outstanding, a testament to what noise rock should be. On the Regler side, there’s Anders Byrngelsson, of Brainbombs fame. If you don’t know what Brainbombs is, you must catch up on noise rock bands created in Sweden in the mid-80s. However, Brainbombs is not for the faint of heart, but neither is this, so honestly, if you can handle this, you’ll be good with Brainbombs. Unlike Brainbombs, this does not have all their wholesome lyricism about stabbing somebody to death, so if you’re into that, sorry, these are purely instrumentals. Besides Brainbombs, there are also two other favorites of mine I feel like mentioned. No Balls is another exceptional group; I may even cover them later (I almost did this time). Orchestra Of Constant Distress is another slice of joy, and by pleasure, I mean a group that slams one singular riff into your brain for almost ten minutes straight. I did not even know he partook in such a project, but I’m ever thankful that group exists, as they’ve brought some happiness through escape.

Mattin does way, way too many things to count. Honestly, the dude needs to take a nap at some point. Besides the beloved Billy Bao project, which I’m most familiar with, he does Al Karpenter and a handful of other things. I think he teaches, which is good because future generations need to know how to bring the noise. Fortunately for his student, Mattin brings the noise and then some. In a way, Mattin’s the midpoint of this musical Venn diagram, as he’s in Regler and has collaborated with Regler quite a bit.

Going for a whole other continent, Courtis is Argentina’s main export of tripped-out sounds. He’s a venerable institution that probably has never gotten a shout-out from its chainsaw-wielding maniac of a President Javier Milei. Oh well, Courtis is going to outlast any Argentine head of state. For literal decades, Regler has been involved in a whole slew of projects. I’ll be sincere here – I am the least familiar with this trio member, but I will bookmark him here for future exploration if he’s alongside all these fine folks.

Sound, though, the sound. The sound is vicious. For almost forty minutes, they unrelentingly assault the senses. While listening to this, I am strongly reminded of the painfully short-lived group Belong. Much like that group, searing feedback becomes psychedelic simply due to the highly extended cuts of the riffs. A lot is happening within the sound, and they keep things interesting by constantly delving into an endless cascade of different approaches. I am reminded of a prism taking a single light strand and reflecting it into various colors. The sound becomes beautiful, from the steady hit of the drums to how the guitars are woven into this thick ooze. They even submerge the sound into the deepest depths a few times, going Mariana Trench for all listeners.

Best of all, Nashazphone, an Egyptian/Algerian label specializing in this level of freaked-out, released this. So there, you have three continents involved in this endeavor, four if you count the person writing this review (and I hope you do). It is a wild journey representing exactly what noise rock should be – brutal, unrelenting, and endless.


Bad Alchemy Magazin (April 2024)

REGLER + COURTIS Regel #13 [Noise Rock] (Nashazphone, NP-48, LP): Der schwedische Drummer & Gitarrist Anders Bryngelsson (Brainbombs, No Balls) und der baskische Noise-Philosoph Mattin (Billy Bao, Al Karpenter) haben an der 13. Dekonstruktion eines musikalischen Stils jahrelang mit Alan Courtis (Reynols) gewerkelt. Nun hat Hicham Chadly, ein Kenner von Reynolds, das in Kairo publiziert – so wie zuvor Musik von Skullflower, Sam Shalabi, Sister Iodine oder Unglee Izi. Es ist, wie die 12 Vorgänger - Metal, Harsh Noise Wall, Techno, Free Jazz, No Wave, Blues, Classical Music, Minimalism, Ambient etc. - , eine Dekonstruktion im vollumfänglichen Sinn von: zerlegen, das Wesen freilegen und daraus etwas Neues schaffen. Frei von Brontophobie, konträr zu Tiktok-dünnschissigen Aufmerksamkeitsspannen und ähnlich quer zum algorithmischen Faschismus, der das Web warenförmig zurichtet, mit Blödsinn und Hass vergiftet und Mattin mit Survival Mattin zuscheißt, wie bei seinem Engagement mit Al Karpenter. Als Annäherung an Velvet Underground, Lou Reeds „Metal Machine Music“, Chrome, Swans, Sonic Youth und was daraus folgte. Regler & Courtis genügen ein paar Blutstropfen, um in der Stoßrichtung, in der Bryngelsson sich seit 1985 mit Brainbombs, seit 2009 mit No Balls abarbeitet, und die Courtis schon in x Konstellationen schrammte, aus knüppelhartem, sturem Beat, rauem Mulm und fräsenden Gitarren eine Donnerechse von 19 ½ Min. aufzublasen. Die diffundiert zwar nach 11, 12 Min. in einen grollenden Schatten ihrer selbst, kann sich jedoch hinter dem Klangstaubschleier behaupten, mit ihrem zuletzt zwar bleischwer sich schleppenden Knüppelriff und unaufhörlich critternden Gitarren. In Pt. II und seinen 18 ½ Min. ist das dann eingekocht als brodelnder Sud, angedickt zu einer prasselnden, wummernden Wall of Sound, einem dröhnenden Partikelschwarm, gehärtet mit Feedback und dumpfer Verdichtung. Der Beat pulverisiert, der Rock entrockt – Noise is all you need! [BA 124 rbd]

English:

REGLER + COURTIS Rule #13 [Noise Rock] (Nashazphone, NP-48, LP): Swedish drummer & guitarist Anders Bryngelsson (Brainbombs, No Balls) and Basque noise philosopher Mattin (Billy Bao, Al Karpenter) worked on the 13th deconstruction of a musical style for years with Alan Courtis (Reynols). Now Hicham Chadly, a Reynolds connoisseur, has it published in Cairo - just like music by Skullflower, Sam Shalabi, Sister Iodine and Unglee Izi before. Like its 12 predecessors - Metal, Harsh Noise Wall, Techno, Free Jazz, No Wave, Blues, Classical Music, Minimalism, Ambient etc. - it is a deconstruction in the full sense of: dismantling, exposing the essence and create from it something new. Free of Brontophobia, contrary to Tiktok-thin attention spans, and, like in Mattin's engagement with Al Karpenter, similarly at odds with algorithmic fascism, which transforms the web into a commodity, poisons it with nonsense and hate, and shits on Mattin with Survival Mattin. As an approach to Velvet Underground, Lou Reed's "Metal Machine Music", Chrome, Swans, Sonic Youth and what followed. A few drops of blood are enough for Regler & Courtis to blow up over 19 ½ minutes a thunder lizard, made up of a rock-hard, stubborn beat, rough mulm and milling guitars in the same thrust in which Bryngelsson has been working since 1985 with Brainbombs and since 2009 with No Balls, and which Courtis too has already scraped in x constellations. Although it diffuses into a rumbling shadow of itself after 11 or 12 minutes, it can hold its own behind the veil of sound dust, with its leadenly dragging and beating riff and incessantly clattering guitars. In Pt. II and its 18 ½ minutes, this is boiled down as a bubbling brew, thickened into a crackling, blasting wall of sound, a booming swarm of particles, hardened with feedback and muffled compression. The beat pulverizes, the rock rocks – noise is all you need! [BA 124 rbd]


Loop Music Magazine (Valparaíso, 9th April 2024)

Esta es una colaboración entre Regler, formado por Anders Bryngelsson (Brainbombs and no Balls) y Mattin (Billy Bao y Al Karpenter), a quienes – para este disco – se les une el prolífico músico experimental argentino Alan Courtis (miembro fundador de la singular banda Reynols). Regler ha realizado trece discos dedicados a una diversidad de géneros como el Metal, Harsh Noise Wall, Techno, Free Jazz, No Wave, Blues, Música Clásica, Minimalismo, Ambient, entre otros estilos. Bryngelsson, quien toca la batería y Mattin la guitarra, trabajan conceptualmente con el ruido y la improvisación y han realizado performances en distintos escenarios de Europa. Esta serie se inicia con el lanzamiento de su primer disco “Regler 1” (8mm Records, 2014), que tiene una mezcla de punk y ruido, mientras que «Regel #6 (Techno)» (Quemada Records, 2016) es un techno minimalista, especial para entrar en un trance hipnótico. Regel #13 [Noise Rock] publicado en el sello con base en El Cairo, Nashazphone, consiste en dos largos tracks comenzando por “Regler+Courtis-I”, en el que convergen un constante ritmo motorik de la batería, junto a ráfagas de distorsión de las guitarras de Mattin y Courtis que, aunque no logro distinguir lo que hace cada uno, uno de ellos suelta imparables riffs, mientras el otro se ensaña con un enjambre de punteos y efectos arrebatadores. El segundo track, “Regler+Courtis-II” continua un viaje menos centrado en la percusión y más enfocado en las texturas de ruido comprimido y abrasivo, mientras cada tanto, una de las guitarras realiza infatigables descargas eléctricas, creando una muralla de puro ruido. “Regler+Courtis” hacen una interpretación acabada de su concepto de Noise-Rock, trabajando las texturas y ritmos con una innegable habilidad.

English:

This is a collaboration between Regler, formed by Anders Bryngelsson (Brainbombs and no Balls) and Mattin (Billy Bao and Al Karpenter), who – for this album – are joined by the prolific Argentine experimental musician Alan Courtis (founding member of the unique Reynols band). Regler has released thirteen albums dedicated to a diversity of genres such as Metal, Harsh Noise Wall, Techno, Free Jazz, No Wave, Blues, Classical Music, Minimalism, Ambient, among other styles. Bryngelsson, who plays the drums and Mattin the guitar, work conceptually with noise and improvisation and have performed on different stages in Europe. This series begins with the release of their first album “Regler 1” (8mm Records, 2014), which has a mix of punk and noise, while “Regel #6 (Techno)” (Quemada Records, 2016) is a techno minimalist, special to get into a hypnotic trance. Regel #13 [Noise Rock] released on Cairo based Nashazphone label, consists of two longform tracks starting with “Regler+Courtis-I”, in which a constant motorik rhythm of the drums converge, along with bursts of distortion from the guitars of Mattin and Courtis that, although I can’t distinguish what each one does, one of them unleashes unstoppable riffs, while the other unfurl a swarm of plucking and captivating effects. The second track, “Regler+Courtis-II” continues a journey less focused on percussion and more focused on the textures of compressed and abrasive noise, while every now and then, one of the guitars performs tireless electric discharges, creating a wall of pure noise. “Regler+Courtis” make a complete interpretation of their Noise-Rock concept, deftly working on textures and rhythms.


Yellow Green Red (Philadelphia 1st May 2024)

Regler, the occasional duo of Brainbombs member Anders Bryngelsson and the infamous Mattin, are joined by Anla Courtis of Reynols for the thirteenth thematic Regler album, this time tackling the genre of, you guessed it, noise-rock. Overly saturated yet well-suited for the talents of these three, Regel #13 [Noise Rock] operates much as I suspected it might. That is to say, the fun is sucked out of it completely, offering zero concessions to the listener in search of the deepest darkest noise-rock truth, somewhere in its base atomic form. I think it’s Bryngelsson on the drums, and of course he plods ever forward, nary a fill or break in sight, as Mattin and Courtis unload their tuneless guitar distortion like cement pouring into a cavern. They’ve certainly got enough to turn the Grand Canyon into a skatepark, pouring it out with the jet-engine thrust of Skullflower at their least friendly. That’s the a-side cut, whereas the b-side dispenses with any notion of “rock” for a digital hurricane of harsh noise, as if The Rita got ahold of the stems to the first side and tossed it like chum into his shark tank. The pitch of the frequencies are always changing, but the harsh-noise-wall outcome is consistent, a powerful clog remover for even the nastiest of drains. Cool stuff, though “noise rock” seems like a softball for these guys – let’s hear your spirited take on hyperpop, Regler!


OX Magazine (#174, Juni 2024)




recordgrouch (4th June 2024, Brooklyn)

New-In: Regler + Courtis _Regel #13 [Noise Rock]_ via Nashazphone

Regler, the duo of Mattin (re: Billy Bao) and Anders Bryngelsson (re: Brainbombs), joined here by Anla Courtis of Argentinian experimental mainstays #Reynols, continue their hard-and-fast project rule exploring one genre per album. Genre reduced to its essence b/w Form stripped of Content

Past examples include #Techno #FreeJazz #NoWave #Blues … to name a few in this ongoing project …

For _Regel #13 [Noise Rock], Regler + Courtis tackle a poorly defined genre sometimes used to conjure images of bombed-out 1980s NYC, a cavernous lair where #MartinBisi and #whartontiers produced transgressive #downtown recordings. These days the term is also regrettably applied to lots of regular radio rock with maybe a hint of distortion/reverb/delay.

That is not the noise rock offered here, however, something akin to Japan’s PSF or even that strange but fertile period when British #BrokenFlag bands migrated over to Sympathy for a string of singles and 12”s of sophisticated guitar abuse.

Early, multi-drummers in full-on caveman krautrock mode (re: early @shit_and_shine and current @wwwaterdamage by way of stateside examples) may be a not-so-distant relative.

Are there vocals buried in the mix? Even after strapping on headphones, one can’t be sure. Layer upon layer of torched amplifier make it difficult to discern.

It is certainly corrosive and motorik, very noisy, and, if willing to take the beating, it does indeed rock.

Hot on the heels of the new @1127abdalhaq and #DonKing LPs, @nashazphone continues to deliver. One of the shop’s favorite imprints.

#BillyBao
#Brainbombs
#Mattin
#Courtis

cc:

@abjectmusic
@diskad
@reynols_oficial



Regler
Mattin