Incapacitants — D.D.D.D
Originally released on cassette through Old Europa Cafe in 1995, classic Incapacitants album D.D.D.D. gets a gorgeous re-release on CD through Abhorrent A.D. Although included in Pica Disk's Box Is Stupid from 2009, this AAD release allows noise fans all over a chance to own this excellent and dense studio effort from these Japanese noise titans. Built on two colossal tracks, D.D.D.D. is a must-have for Incapacitants fans and those of classic era Japanese noise.
Destroy Devastating And Disgusting Derivatives (D.D.D.D.) is a delightfully low end, crushing, rumbling release showing Mikawa and Kosakai at their destructive best. Like their other releases of this period, D.D.D.D. is dense and rough, with much of the focus on the low-end distortion. Rubbing back and forth in different directions like a sandpaper handshake, the thick, abrasive layers pull the base forward while vocal effects pop from the flow like exploding lava bubbles. "Part 1" is layered in such a way, too, that it can be perceived in two very opposite, but very true ways: this is abrasive and uneasy, or this is crushing and comforting. And that's one of the beautiful things about a well-constructed noise release - it can be all things. "Part 1" encapsulates the chaos and sheer force of Incapacitants. "Part 2" feels closer to the genesis of the title (in my opinion) and nears the psychedelic, spacey noise of related project C.C.C.C. While more in line with Incapacitants vision than that of C.C.C.C., the loftiness of the vocal effects and the spaces that emerge between the layers give this second half an alien quality that works very well within Incapacitants' framework. The structure of space does collapse into a closer, more familiar mix of grit and scrape, but this track certainly does cover quite a lot of ground with very little effort.
D.D.D.D. is two massive, dense, and intriguing noise tracks, each 30 minutes long, and not wasting a second of it. Packed to the gills with sonics, destruction, experimentation, and dare I say, introspection, this classic Incapacitants release should belong in everyone's collection. Thanks to Abhorrent A.D., that is now a possibility. If you're a fan of noise, haven't heard this, need to upgrade your cassette, whatever the reason, go check this one out.