Dosis Letalis/MO*TE — Split
Here’s a C20 split bringing together two takes on noisemaking craft. We have an active and fairly experimental take on walled noise from Dosis Letalis, and a predictable if enjoyable enough example of Japanoise from MO*TE.
The release appeared early on this year on Illinois based Fusty Cunt Tapes. The dark clear blue shelled cassette features orange and black labels featuring a broken glass design. It’s presented in a baggie, with a PC printed back and front sleeve, which features more broken glass art- this time in green, black and blue. As of writing this review the labels still have copies, and can be purchased here https://fustycunt.bigcartel.com/product/dosis-letalis-mo-te-split-c20
On the first side of tape we have Serbian's wall-maker Dosis Letalis. And I’m a little puzzled/ confused- as the tape sleeve/ discogs lists two separate tracks of five minutes, but in reality, what we have is one single track lasting just shy of the ten-minute mark. The track(s?) is entitled “Exasperation Conveyance Part 1 & Part 2”. It opens with a blend of rubbing ‘n’ dragging lows and mids- these are both sluggish and laboured- yet at the same time spread and muffled. As we move on, we start making out more moments of uncertainty/ break in the textural patterns flow. But most curiously/ unusual is the addition of distant on/ off tones- these move between (what sounds like) semi-harmonic radio hover, rudimentary buzzing pitch sustains, and something that almost sounds like slurred turntable texturing. At just before the end of the track, we drop into this almost grooving element, that’s fighting to be heard in the main rub ‘n’ drag- then it finishes.
Flipping over and we find MO*TE side, which features a single track “Crazy The Road In Zig Zag Line”. This starts out with a blend of muffled chop, purr, and phaser noise- which often has a fairly throbbing rhythmic quality to it. As we go on the track shifts to blending in machine grate, hiss, and chop with baying and swirling sub tone peaks occurring ever so often. As we move on things remain fairly swift, active, if a little sloppy as we get moment rhythmic hiss 'n' chop, wavering-to-tolling noise drone, jittering and judder mid rage sear, and waving pitch roam.
On the whole, this split feels very much unbalanced- the first side is something rather interesting and creative with the wall noise form, while the second side is a passable-if-rather-predictable and sloppy example of Japnoise. So as a result this is a difficult release to rate- if I was going just on the Dosis Letalis I’d be going for a four, but if I was going on the Mo*TE I’d say a two, maybe even a one…so as a result, I’ve gone for a total mark of three.