Spent Stiletto — ANDAPOCKETFULLOFARSENIC

Here we have two slices of taut lowercase wall craft from this new UK project. Each track comes in at dead on the ten-minute mark, and each is an example of busy to (seemingly) paring back noise craft.

Behind the wonderfully named Spent Stiletto is the project of one Gavin Allen, who is connected with projects such as Stringent, Concrete Depravity, and This Is A Formica Table.

Cover art-wise, we have an extremely dense static-hazed picture, where I’m sure I  can just make a person putting up their middle finger. The release on Cincinnati’s Stemms Audio,  and it’s a digital-only affair- here’s the direct link. 

First up is “Open”- it’s built around a single line of constantly cracking tone, which starts to get slowly but surely more warped/ tonally pulled out, as if the noise itself is being stretched or smeared out. At points, the line seemingly pares back, at other times gets more persistent- not sure if this is really happening, or it’s a trick of the ‘wall’- but it’s rather rewarding. In its last minute, it definitely pares back- before finishing.

Next is “Close” which starts off very full/ intense- with a mix of distant rolling texting, and a line busy/ thicker taut crackle. But fairly soon the weave starts to pare back to an uneven/ thinning crackle/ arching tone- then once again it thickens/busies up again. Once more, I’m not entirely sure if this is happening or not, but it’s rather engaging. And instead of thinning back at the end, it thickens back up.

So if you enjoy lower case textured noise- which seemingly thins, then thickens back up again give ANDAPOCKETFULLOFARSENIC- a go. Always great to see new UK wall projects, as our scene is not the most occupied.