Top Bar
Musique Machine Logo Home ButtonReviews ButtonArticles ButtonBand Specials ButtonAbout Us Button
SearchGo Down
Search for  
With search mode in section(s)
And sort the results by
show articles written by  
 Review archive:  # a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Merzbow - Higanbana [Vivo Records - 2008]

Higanbana sees Merzbow building in more ambient, atmospheric touches & a greater feeling of space into his noise craft- but fear not this still smarts and singers when needed

Opening up proceedings we have an Merzbow epic in the shape of  Cluster Amarvllis clocking in just shy of the half an hour mark. It all starts very subdued and well ambient feel  to it with this smeared ominous filled drone,  that soon  has feedback trails and whining pictures coming off it, but still it’s surprisingly subdued. Then at about the two minute mark he starts up a stuck, muffled and tight kraut rock like drum attack. The noise and guitar like feedback elements starts to get more searing but theres still seems so much room and space with–in the sound that builds this great edgy feel. As the track progresses the rhythmic elements drop in & out changing feel and texture along the way. He also lets the noise fade off to near silence as if echoing off down vast tunnels- certainly the whole piece has quite an atmospheric subterranean feel about .It’s really great to hear another long form  Merzbow piece  especially when he keeps it so edgy, fresh and inventive through-out. 

Next is Black silky feather which starts with a low down pulsing loop that rather brought to my mind one of  the first tracks  Masami  made as Merzbow OM Electrique Part 1 from 1979. But soon the nostalgic edge is lost as crashing metallic sounds take control and roaring sound storms bite, it really kicks in with steering glory with this superb storm type tone. Again theres a really feeling of space with-in the sound & you can often make out the whirling original electro pulse through the storming and crashing of noise matter. This track is shorter  than the first at just off 19 minutes.

Lastly we have Path with no end which again rather brought back memories of early  Merzbow  again with its opening clunking factory like rhythmic loop very much in the vein of material on 1984  the  Agni Hotra album. But as it progresses it  starts to get a lot more crowded with him slapping on all manner of guitar feedback tones and electro folds-  Hell the track almost becomes groovy at one point!. A rather nice end to another successful Merzbow release- that’s mangers to add new elements to his distinctive sound to make this a highly replayable piece of noise matter.

Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5

Roger Batty
Latest Reviews

Merzbow - Higanbana
Higanbana sees Merzbow building in more ambient, atmospheric touches & a greater feeling of space into his noise craft- but fear not this ...
010525   Oil Lamps - Oil Lamps( Blu Ray)
300425   Tomo-Nakaguchi - Out Of The ...
300425   Various Artists - Brixton Cat...
300425   The Residents - Doctor Dark
290425   CORR//PT│0N_UN1T - ROT7EN_...
290425   Owners Of Knowledge - Like A ...
280425   Womb - Womb(VOD)
240425   Nine Guests For A Crime - Ni...
240425   Hüma Utku - Dracones
240425   Eclipse - Eclipse ( Blu Ray)
Latest Articles

Dead, Dead Swans interview - Midw...
Dead, Dead Swans (aka Milwaukee, Wisconsin's John E Swan) play a blend of raw and world-weary American folk music, with some real tuneful edges. I first beca...
150425   Dead, Dead Swans interview - ...
110325   Sebastian Tomb - Walls of unb...
040225   Alien Sex Fiend - Possessed B...
231224   Best Of 2024 - Music, Sound &...
191224   Splintered - Somewhere Betwee...
031224   Shane Ryan-Reid - Coerced and...
221024   Whore’s Breath - life’s h...
011024   David Kerekes Interview - Int...
030924   Tim Ritter Interview - Shot O...
100724   Radiance Films Interview - Le...
Go Up
(c) Musique Machine 2001 -2025. Twenty four years of true independence!! Mail Us at questions=at=musiquemachine=dot=comBottom