Norfolk Trotter — Raw Flint Wall #1

Raw Flint Wall #1 is the most recent release from this Norwich based wall-noise project that themes & focuses its work on natural/elemental forces. And as it’s title suggests the source material here is flint, with which the project creates this wonderful impactful, attention-grabbing, at times almost roughshod groove bound (well sort of) example of walled noise.

The release comes in the form of a recycled side cassette that takes in a just over twenty-minute track- the tape features a stuck-on brown/ gold/ red spray-painted label and comes in a sealed manila envelope that features a color process split stuck on art print, of a blue-tinged photo of a flint wall. On the back the releases information and numbering is done in black ink stamp- and the release is numbered to just 12 copies- not sure if they are any left, but I’d certainly advise you seeing if you can score a copy of this- as I very, very much enjoyed what we have here.
 
The Norfolk Trotter project is all the work of Norwich based multimedia artists Michael Ridge, who has been active in the wall-noise scene since 2010. This particular project has been going since 2016- and thus far it’s discography is just reaching double figures- so he may not be the most prolific, of the often extremely prolific scene, but boy when he puts out a release it’s worth checking out.
 
The single track here is a fairly rapid ‘n’ battering ‘wall’ that nicely brings together cluttering lows, at times careering mids, and fleeting highs. The whole twenty-minute ‘wall’ is centered around this constantly tumbling ‘n’ rubbing low-end, this has an almost roughshod rhythmic feel to its attack- around this Ridge builds this appealing mesh of gallops, crisp judders, and weighty rattles. The mid-tones have a battering-at-times almost comforting feel to their detailed weaves, with the higher-at-times teeth gitting sways creating a nicely sour, but very much darting & fleeting presence. Through-out Ridge has a wonderful control & focus to his wall, yet at the same time there is a nice feeling of surprise when sub-tones are allowed to sudden dart & shift through the ‘walls’ make-up in an almost groove-based manner. I know the idea of groove/ rhythmic elements with-in a genre like wall-noise may seem odd/ impossible/ absurd for those not very au fai with the genre- but it can & does happen, and with this track Ridge pulls it off in a wonderful subtle/ yet extremely intriguing manner.
 
 
Raw Flint Wall #1 is another masterful, skilled & extremely worthy example of the walled noise from this scene veteran. Lets hope, as the releases title suggests, that there are more flint wall-based tracks in the works. One of 2019 wall noise highlights- so get a copy if you can!.