Fouke/XSXCXEXBX — Split
As with most of the early releases on this California based HNW label the tapes cover is sliver metallic/ black foil printed. The cover features an eerier inversed picture of a man like figure standing at the side of a wooden waterway and is clearly influenced by the Fouke side of the tape.
So on side one we find the Fouke track which is entitled “Sightings” and it finds Ramirez's creating this great hypotonic and slightly eerier wall that’s built around a low crusty rumble, and a higher pitched jittering tone that at times sounds almost like an aged & stuck recording primeval ape like chatter. These two tones are locked into each other in a very appealing manner, and somehow the track seems to become tighter and more entrancing as it goes along; though it really just seems to stay fairly locked and unmoving in it's structure. The tracks another great slice of HNW matter from Ramirez and his excellent Fouke project which of late seems to have been on very fine form indeed.
Over onto side two and we of course have the XSXCXEXBX side which offers up a track entitled “ El Camino De Un Duende” (which in English means The Way Of a Genie). This tracks ‘wall’ is built around a more violent, ripping ‘n’ tearing mid paced judder, which has snippets of cut muffled ‘n’ hissed sub-tones running through it’s grain ever so often. And even though this ‘wall’ is quite nasty and jagged in its intent, just like the first side it’s very controlled and locked into it’s caustic pattern tapestry. So this sides track is another great slice of tense and controlled wall-making
So all in all this a great split where both tracks nicely complimenting each other very well in their controlled violent and tense states.