White Underwear - The Agony Tapes [Self release - 2021] White Underwear is the new slurred, slightly industrialized and greyly oppressive textured noise project from Australian based Barry .C. Douglas. Seemingly The Agony Tapes is the first release from the venture, and it comes in the form of a digital download that offers up two tracks The project takes its themes from either grim and sleazed motel based fleshy encounters or very low-budget roughie films. So far it’s put out three self-releases, which all feature lo-fi and hazed pictures of women in underwear or baring their breasts.
The first track here is “Elizabeth”- this runs just sly of the twenty-three and a half minutes. It starts with an extremely muffled blend of grey hovering and lullingly grinding drones, and distant clashing plate-like textures. By around the fifth minute an even more bluntly smashing and industrial junk tones have been weaved in, along with uneven rumble and churning tones deep in the guts of the whole- also we find the appearance of female moans and groans, and these deepening the oppressive, sleazed and subtle creepy air of the whole thing.
Next, we have “Clara” which runs at a slightly longer nearing twenty six-minutes. Here we find an extremely muffled blend of mumbled & blunt female talking, purring & pulled drone matter, and clunking 'n' churning junk detail. By around the 7th minute, the mumbled talking has largely dispersed, and we’re left with a grating and clattering mesh. At around the 10th-minute blend of moans & slight warbled female talking have returned and built-in intensity, creating a rather effective feeling of claustrophobic & sleazed unease.
If you're looking for a very muffled & sickly sleazed take of textured noise-making then The Agony Tapes will certainly appeal. To play samples, or buy https://whiteunderwear.bandcamp.com/album/the-agony-tapes
Roger Batty
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