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Romance - Bleak Memories [Audio Museum - 1998]Yet another name for a James Plotkin project. Romance suggests nice and cosy music, the album's title points in another direction though... Other songtitles reinforce the feeling that this album reflects a bitter viewpoint on romance. The opening Romantic Theme consists of an ambient drone and alternating ugly electronic noises and a heavy distorted beat, not exactly the sounds that usually depict the suggestion of the title. The piece Rejection (Leads To Stalking) starts of with gentle piano melodies but it slowly builds into a threatening atmosphere. Timmy And Base seems a memory of better times but it turns bleak because a slurring sound disturbs the overall picture. Next up is Love Is A Crunchy 606, this refers to the drumcomputer that was used, a Roland 606 and it indeed does sound crunchy. This piece is mainly built on a rhythmtrack, electronic noises and a heavy bassline. A bouncy rhythm track, a drone and various electronic swoops and glitches characterize Don't Be So) Frigid. I have a hard time ascribing a clear emotional image on these two songs: I can't really say how it makes me feel. House With Wound also is a rhythm-oriented track. It sounds a bit like a broken housebeat, or it suggests one, hence the title. Of course there is a symbolic meaning too. A hesitating beat typifies Better Off (Without Her). As if it wants to go on, but not whole-heartedly. Endless Romance has the only obvious guitarsound and seems a little bit more optimistic, but not much.This is one of James Plotkin's most disturbing pieces of work and surprises with directness in sound a sparse instrumentation. It's very different from other albums I heard. A reference might be Aphex Twin in his most experimental mood, but more organic. The album reflects mainly a desolate and cold bitterness and is definitely not an accompaniment for a dinner for two.  
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|  | | Romance - Bleak Memories | Yet another name for a James Plotkin project. Romance suggests nice and cosy music, the album's title points in another direction though...
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| | | Crude ‘n’ Hope-corroding Wall... | Back in 2024, I got my first taste of Absurd Reality, and I was so impressed by how crude and nasty its take on walled noise was. Behind the project is South...
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