Top Bar
Musique Machine Logo Home ButtonReviews ButtonArticles ButtonBand Specials ButtonAbout Us Button
SearchGo Down
Search for  
With search mode in section(s)
And sort the results by
show articles written by  
 Review archive:  # a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Go to the Merzbow website  Merzbow - Amlux [Important Records - 2002]

Noise! Masami Akita aka Merzbow is and has always been the leading figure in the Japanese noise scene. His enormous discography, including numerous collaborations with a wide range of artists, is still increasing and "Amlux" is the first release in 2002, on Important Records.

"Amlux" is inspired by the changes in the big city, taking the name from Toyota's massive multi-storey showroom in Tokyo and Osaka as beautiful metaphor. On this release, Masami Akita has taken a different approach in recording and producing his manipulated noise. This is not random noise but well thought-out and structured loops, pulses and sound layers.

The new album contains four tracks, starting with "Takemitsu". This 5 ½ minute long track is inspired and dedicated to Toru Takemitsu (1930-1996), a Japanese self-taught composer who was fascinated by Western music during the hardship of the Second World War. "Takemitsu" is a very rhythmic piece with diverse sound growing towards a scorching noise burst, before continuing in an effectively layered industrial pulse. The track is definitely one of the better compositions by Mr. Akita, and even manages to have a "rocking" feeling. "Looping Jane" is the second piece on "Amlux" and again ends up as a surprising work. The track is based around manipulated distorted guitar loops and drums loops to create an ambient noise symphony that seems nice to the ears, but still has those moments of harsh noise Merzbow is known for. "Cow Cow" is a short and intense track, followed by the long and stretched-out "Luxurious Automobile (Krokodil Texas Mix)", where droning ambient and loaded textures advance slowly in sudden filtered blare, like on the other "Amlux" tracks.

So, "Amlux" is by all means not a disappointing album. Instead, I feel this release stands out as one of the best modern Merzbow works. It shows that Masami Akita can do a lot more than just make some noise; "Amlux" is quite different from other Merzbow works because it's very structured and rhythmic. I don't know if this is the direction future releases of this sound-artist are going to, but I'm looking forward to the remix album that will be releases later this year. It is tentatively entitled "Merzmix", on which the remixers will use "Amlux" as source material for original compositions. Featured artists that have been confirmed so far are Alec Empire, Bola, Chicks On Speed, Jack Dangers, Acid Mothers Temple, DJ Spooky, and a lot more.

Merzbow fans should pay attention to this release.

Rating: 5 out of 5Rating: 5 out of 5Rating: 5 out of 5Rating: 5 out of 5Rating: 5 out of 5

Justin Faase
Latest Reviews

Merzbow - Amlux
Noise! Masami Akita aka Merzbow is and has always been the leading figure in the Japanese noise scene. His enormous discography, including numerous collabora...
290523   Skyy - The Salsoul Albums
280523   Mats Gustafsson & Andreas Rĝy...
270523   Whose Child Am I? + Weekend M...
260523   The Haunting Of Julia - The H...
260523   Pork Chop Hill - Pork Chop Hi...
250523   Olivier Alary - Apparitions ...
250523   Two Orphan Vampires - Two ...
240523   Enys Men - Enys Men( Blu Ray)
230523   Lee "Scratch" Perry - Battle ...
230523   Koobaatoo Asparagus - Bond Girl
Latest Articles

TenHornedBeast - Into The Deep & ...
Forming in the early 2000’s TenHornedBeast is a British project that creates a rather distinctive blend of black ambience, doom, dark soundtracking ele...
250523   TenHornedBeast - Into The Dee...
050523   Bill Morroni - The Trials & ...
280323   Magnus Granberg - Finding Emo...
230223   Trou Aux Rats - The Funeral I...
020223   The Residents & Support - Liv...
300123   Worship - In Praise Of Walled...
201222   Blood Chalice - Into The Sin...
191222   Best Of 2022 - Music, Sound &...
061222   Dr Tom Whittaker - The noto...
231122   Hastings of Malawi - Deliriou...
Go Up
(c) Musique Machine 2001 -2023. Twenty two years of true independence!! Mail Us at questions=at=musiquemachine=dot=comBottom