Sleep Column — Scar
The wall starts with a crunchy, mid-strong, speedy churn; underpinned by an equally rampaging, low-end drone. Scrapes and scuffs can be heard emerging, as well as a few odd gaps or “jumps” - either a deliberate aesthetic decision on the part of Sleep Column, or the result of some machine rebelling between the recording and my playing of the cdr. After perhaps fifteen minutes, more “spitting” treble textures arise; after about twenty, a near-wash of treble comes in - Ivan Sandakov (Sleep Column) builds these shifts patiently and with a good sense of timing. These textures become increasingly agitated and stuttering, building to a buffeting squall; until, around the thirty minute mark, the walls draws in on itself, to a mid-frequency crunch. As before, this wall becomes wilder and more rattling; till, again, it suddenly restrains itself - though this time more comprehensively. What we are left with, is a texture dominated by a strong bass drone, with crackle dancing over the top; a very pleasant development from the earlier wall elements. Over time, Sandakov teases out the higher mid-frequencies into streaking lines of noise; until a ramshackle, “junk-like”, low-end takes over. “Scar” closes with thin treble.
This is an impressively restrained, “dynamic” wall. It contains several direct shifts and slow movements, whilst also maintaining a sense of “stasis” - not always easily done. Its arguably not too adventurous, in terms of texture and “colour”; but this gives it a interesting mix of aggressive, “obliterating” textures with a more “progressive” (or “US HNW”-esque) approach to structure. Thus, its something that should appeal across the board, in terms of wall noise