Paraplegic Twister/Segment Aura — Split 2014 (April)

Here’s a tape that seems to have fallen through the cracks. This self-released cassette, features a pair of Russian noisers, Paraplegic Twister and Segment Aura. Released in 2014, this is hardly a new release. However, with my unfamiliarity of both artists, it’s certainly new to my ears. What we have here is 60 minutes of noise, with each artist providing distinctly different styles.

On side A we have 5 tracks by Paraplegic Twister. PT’s sound is quite varied, with sounds ranging from dense droney soundscapes, to rumbly passages, to stressed feedback, channeled through the vortex of sci-fi noise stylings. Listening to PT’s side, I can’t help but imagine this to be the backdrop of some space epic. Imagine you’re aboard a space freighter, barreling across the galaxy. The sounds of onboard computers, warp drive controls, and robotic co-pilots fill your ear cavities. The rusty hull of your starcraft rattles like an echo chamber as you navigate past quasars, black holes, getting into skirmishes with alien warcraft on your journey. This panoply of sound unfolds in deliciously lo-fi clarity. It’s not always clearly delineated where one track ends and the next begins, but that’s okay with me as PT’s side flows rather nicely.

Side B is owned by Segment Aura and it is a completely different beast altogether. SA delivers 3 tracks of wall noise, that frankly, don’t do a whole lot for me. Their tracks simply labeled “V1”, “V3” and “V7,” sound like variations on “dying automotive engine” wall noise. The first track “V1” is probably the most interesting of the trio. It’s a rough n’ tumble piece, sounding like an amplified car engine on the verge of dying; punchy and thick. It speeds up, slows downs, gets more aggressive as the track progresses. “V3” takes the same template, though more low end with crispy artifacts flinging off the thick chunks of sound. Finally, “V7” is a fast slice of low end juddering that gets so thick and stressed at times that it loses all character. It’s rather low rent wall HNW, not the worst I’ve heard, but certainly far from the best.

The art is worth mentioning. The full color j-card features some striking collage work: workers toiling, computer parts, androids, a robotic mule, and other detritus. The cassette comes painted silver and purple with a wrapped along the top to designate each side.

I always appreciate splits that include artists with completely different styles. Isn’t variety the spice of life? On that end I commend this release. That said, while I love the Paraplegic Twister side, I was rather meh on Segment Aura. Unevenness aside, it’s a half great tape with some interesting artwork. I guess I’ll split the difference.