Merzbow — Hermerzaphrodites
From 2019 Hermerzaphrodites is a double CD release, which highlights a few different sides to Merzbow you might not have heard before. The three featured tracks move between improv piano and noise workouts, and journeys into textural/ at times semi rhythmic noise structures.
The release comes presented in a glossy six panelled digipak- this features rather neat and day-glow psychedelic collages, which all have a pair of eyes in their centres. The two-disc set appeared on Old Europa Café, coming in an edition of three hundred copies- to find out more, hear samples, and buy direct drop-in here
The first disc features just one track “Bite of Salt Water”- and this comes in at just over the forty-minute mark. It begins in a very un-Merz manner with just evenly darting and tinkling improvised piano work. In time a second more rapid, brighter & higher pitched piano layer is added, and along with this we find a find subtle noise detail, be it textural drags, electro purrs, distant morse code texturing, etc appearing. The second brighter piano element drops out, and we a left with the drifting haze of wondering, at times quite gloomy piano notion & low-key noise detail. As it progresses the piano starts to become more rapid and busily bounding, with the noise textures becoming more pronounced, layered at times lightly psychedelic in their attack, but the hazing drifting quality is still very much maintained.
Moving onto the second disc and we have "Morpheus Ambition" and "Albatros"- both of which last around the twenty-three-minute mark. The first track opens with a selection of chugging textural knocks and bangs- as the track progresses more layers of knock, creak, and descending bang are added- sometimes these almost become rhythmic, other times not. Around the tones we get subtle noise detail- be it fixed then stretched electro tone hovers, wavering tone drifts, and jack-knifing machine churns. Though tonally we don’t get really many highs- largely focusing on mids & lows.
The second track on this disc opens with more low-key & moody knocks, with a chugging sound in the background & high pitch tone wows. Fairly soon things start to get busier and more detailed- as we have this spinning/ stretching electro tone, blending with stream like hisses and knocks. As we progress, we get some wonderful flows of cascading knocks, drills and rattles- with at points the track having an almost playful and at times cartoon-like feel to its textural use; but this is kept in check by the hazed stretching & hiss layers that are often pulled over the textural chop ‘n’ hack.
In conclusion, Hermerzaphrodites certainly stands as one of the more worthy and distinctive Merzbow releases to appear in the last few years. And if you’re either a hardcore Merz fan, or just have a passing interest in the king of Japanoise this is most certainly something you’ll be wanting to pick…. but do not hang around, as I can’t imagine this edition hanging around for too long!.