Compactor — Hold Music
Compactor is an anonymous NYC based project, that serves up a futuristic machine shop/sleek- modern factory focused blend of industrial, techno, and noise. The project started in 2011 and may/may not have something to do with Derek Rush(Dream Into Dust, A Murder Of Angels, Unfeeling). Hold Music is the project's tenth album(including split releases)- and it presents the listener with a selection of eight tracks, that offering up a rewarding blend of urgent and snapping beats, layered-subtle noise touched industrial texture, and machine line techno.
The release appeared in February of this year in three formats a cassette tape, a self_contained player/ speaker, and a digital download_the tape and download are still available. I’m reviewing the tape release, and I must say I was very impressed by the classy/ sleek presentation- the silver shelled tape comes presented in an oversized/ special made plastic case- this takes in double side grey/ black colourings, with a blend of theme focused texts, and diagrams.
The eight tracks here each last between three and a half, and eight minutes apiece- and I must say it’s a decidedly consistent/ varied release, that flows by very well indeed. We kick off with just over seven minutes of “Waiting Room” here we find slowly slamming 'n' hissing beats, hazed cymbal hits, and low-end doom synth keys tolls- it starts off the album in a grimly moody-yet darkly sleek manner. We have the more rapid and densely weaving “New Boss” with its metallic slice ‘n’ bash beats, tolling and sinister electro vibe hits, and building sound layer details. There's the uneasy tolling-meets-woozy beats of “Stay Silent” which in time adds on coldly jingling guitar tones, and fuzzed-out/ moody noise elements. The album plays out with its longest track here the nearing nine minutes of “In These Blank Times”- which finds more slowed beats, blend with ominous steel clungs, and atmospheric textural detail- which all rather brought to mind a slowed-sure take over by machines and man- as assemble line robots start bending and breaking human workers, then throw them on the factories endless conveyer belt.
All in all, I was rather taken by Hold Music, and I think you will be too- if you're looking for moody and memorable beat scaping and low key atmospheric noise-making/ electro texturing. To find out more head to here