Sebastian Tomb — Talent Should Be Rewarded

Talent Should Be Rewarded is the latest release from Sebastian Tomb ( aka Berlin’s Joris Martin Sabinius)- one of the most creative projects to appear from the euro wall noise scene in some time. This new digital-only EP sees the project pushing the genre envelope even more- with elements of sampled/ manipulated field records, synth tones, etc added into the mixing pot- to create a release that is still in the walled noise/ textured noise genre, but is always keen to experimentation/ expand the form.

The release appears on Poland’s Gates Of Hypnos. Cover artwork-wise, we get an old monochrome picture of an older teenage majorette, sitting on a bus looking glum & sipping a strawed drink. This is a rather clever choice, considering the release title- leaving the one wondering whether the implication is genuine or sleazy/predatory.

As mentioned earlier, this is an EP- it features six tracks, which have runtimes between two and eight minutes. And if I were to give any criticisms of this release, it would be that it’s over too quickly, and a few of the tracks could easily have a few minutes added on.

We open with “Self Talk”, which drags out what sounds like either animal growls or human vocal sounds into a thick mesh of baying/distorting tone. It’s a great opener, which both puzzles & intrigues- before it funnels down into brooding like synth texturing. Moving on, we have “Weight Lifting” which blends a slurred/ malevolent industrial synth tone with faintly heard hisses & coughs.

We have “Stretching” with its taut ‘n’ tense blend of beaded bass rumble and jittering static grain. With the release playing out with its longest track, “Shower”- which comes in at just over the eight-minute mark. This track perfectly encapsulates a feeling of growing unease/disquiet- it opens with a blend of constantly running water, distant industrial knocking, and ill-formed bass tone buffing. As the track processes, this faintly hovering ambient simmer appears- this feels both haunting & glumly pervasive- as if someone's either been watched through frosted glass, or they have already been attacked and our now cowering on the water pelted floor, fearful of what will happen next.

With,Talent Should Be Rewarded, Mr Sabinius shows his considerable talents have grown once again, to make another truly masterful/ highly creative take on the walled noise form. To check it out for yourself, drop by here.