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Post by Halcyon on Jun 24, 2008 8:07:29 GMT -5
So yesterday I listened to Arijigoku and I think it's quite good albeit a little too long.
The album contains four tracks, each of them running a little over the fifteen minutes mark.
When I started the CD, I was really surprised - this one starts out much harsher than Akita's last releases. Throughout the whole CD this never changes, Arijigoku is a quite relentless noise attack. It sounds like mostly analogue gear was used on this album. Akita seems to especially enjoy that WahWah-pedal.
All four tracks are accompanied by the frenetic use of drums. While one could say that the drums serve as a backbone on all the tracks, they still feel very organic, free and improvised. To make my point more clear: The use of rhythm on Arijigoku defers heavily from that on other rhythmic releases like Merzbeat or Senmaida.
All in all I was satisfied with this release. However, I think that the album is maybe around ten minutes too long. Towards the end, the album didn't offer anything new anymore and I was getting a little bored. The total running time of this release is 68 minutes, which is actually around ten minutes longer than the last few Merzbow releases.
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Post by Offering on Jun 24, 2008 9:25:04 GMT -5
So yesterday I listened to Arijigoku and I think it's quite good albeit a little too long. The album contains four tracks, each of them running a little over the fifteen minutes mark. When I started the CD, I was really surprised - this one starts out much harsher than Akita's last releases. Throughout the whole CD this never changes, Arijigoku is a quite relentless noise attack. It sounds like mostly analogue gear was used on this album. Akita seems to especially enjoy that WahWah-pedal. All four tracks are accompanied by the frenetic use of drums. While one could say that the drums serve as a backbone on all the tracks, they still feel very organic, free and improvised. To make my point more clear: The use of rhythm on Arijigoku defers heavily from that on other rhythmic releases like Merzbeat or Senmaida. All in all I was satisfied with this release. However, I think that the album is maybe around ten minutes too long. Towards the end, the album didn't offer anything new anymore and I was getting a little bored. The total running time of this release is 68 minutes, which is actually around ten minutes longer than the last few Merzbow releases. Look forward to checking it out! I have had it for a couple weeks now, but such is the backlog of Merz to listen to, its in a queue! Next up its Tentacle, to be followed by A Taste Of..., Coma Berenices then Arijigoku! |
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Post by Halcyon on Jun 24, 2008 9:56:45 GMT -5
I'm curious what you think about "A Taste of...". I think it's a really enjoyable, mellow release (I believe I like every Mego record I've heard so far). But I remember that you're not very fond of Laptop-Merzbow if I'm not mistaken?
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Post by Offering on Jun 24, 2008 10:16:56 GMT -5
I'm curious what you think about "A Taste of...". I think it's a really enjoyable, mellow release (I believe I like every Mego record I've heard so far). But I remember that you're not very fond of Laptop-Merzbow if I'm not mistaken? No, Im afraid you are mistaken! I really like laptop era Merz, although I seem to remember someone expressing their dislike either on here or elsewhere? Possibly T or Guneral? ( sorry guys if Im wrong! ) Yeah, looking forward to checking A Taste Of... out. As for Mego releases, I think the only other one I own is the first KTL album ( Pita and O'Malley )- which I need to re-listen to. Very ambient though... |
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T
New member
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Post by T on Jun 24, 2008 22:47:02 GMT -5
I hauled out Taste Of a few days ago. I'd forgotten how nicely textured that one is. Delicious. That one and Offering seem to go together quite well in my mind.
For the record, I actually like both the lap-top era and analogue period (though each has it's good and not-so-good releases). If anything, it's this digilogue moment (which seems typified by releases like Turmeric to me) that I find it hardest to be enthusiastic about. I haven't kept up with a lot of the new releases, so perhaps I'll be swayed by some of those when I do eventually pick them up. I did pre-order Eucalypso from Soleilmoon. I'm a sucker for the pretty packaging and learned my lesson about pre-ordering from Tamago!
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Post by Offering on Jun 25, 2008 1:44:58 GMT -5
Yeah, I pre-ordered Eucalypse too. Have never ordered from S.M. before though.....
I agree with your whole Tamago point. Also, anything limited to 1000 or below, you know you have to get on it, or youll probably end up regretting it!
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Post by Halcyon on Jun 25, 2008 2:02:34 GMT -5
No, Im afraid you are mistaken! I really like laptop era Merz Oh, nevermind then. "A Taste of..." was one of the first Laptop-CD's where I noticed Akita's use of rhythm. Very cool stuff. Regarding other Mego releases... I think that Kevin Drumm's "Sheer Hellish Miasma" and the two Fenn O'Berg releases are top notch stuff. I'm a sucker for the pretty packaging and learned my lesson about pre-ordering from Tamago! Haha, agreed. I guess I'll also preorder mine today or tomorrow. |
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Post by guneral on Jun 26, 2008 20:40:10 GMT -5
A Taste of... is certainly an album not mentioned enough - it's one of my favourites, and certainly one of the very best laptop releases. Playful, detailed, colourful, unique range of sounds compared w other early laptop albums, well structured (ok, track 2 isn't the world's greatest track..).
For the record, I love laptop as much as any other time. As always there are good and bad albums, and I think laptop have some of the worst, as well as some of the best (best incl - Dharma, A Taste of, SCSI Duck, Cycle, Rattus Rattus, Sphere, disc 2 of Day of Seals. Worst incl Amlux, Merzbeat, Puroland, Hard Lovin, EMU, Merzbird, Yoshinotsune, last track of Ike Dada. Still listenable albums though! 'Worst' doesn't mean too much with regards to Merzbow, as his sound/approach is and has been very consistent).
KTL.. have seen them live which was quite enjoayble, not as good as sunn, and i'm not sure about that cd.. a little lukewarm to it. Pita doesn't seem to contribute much which is a shame.. Interesting to compare it w Kikuri..
Arijigoku - thanks for the thoughts Halcyon. It sounds great! Harsh and freer rhythms, AND longer, which I love. I find in the long albums just that bit more of an adventure - eg. Animal Magnetism, Bariken, Pulse Demon, even Ikebukuro Dada.
T.. don't be put off by Turmeric. That was really a one off. It's typified by thinner textures, more linear improvised action, a lo-fi and hackneyed approach. One of the least 'musical' things he's put out in my opinion. Interesting, and some great moments! But quite a lot of uninspired material on there. Subsequent albums are certainly more dense and polished in their execution/structures.
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