Support Unit — Mai Mai Kata Katanga
From early on this year Mai Mai Kata Katanga is walled noise release, which features a single slice of roughshod 'n' unforgiving HNW. The release title/ theme is taken from a par-military rebel group in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which advocates the independence of the Congo's Katanga Province.
The release appears on Florida’s Busey Teeth- available as either a digital download or CDR, I’m reviewing the latter of the two. The CDR comes presented in slim line black plastic CD case- similar to those used by the excellent but sadly defunct Dutch noise label Muzikaal Kabaal. The CDR features a printed on map of the area in Congo where Mai Mai Kata Katanga reside, and on the cases front cover we get monochrome pictures of the groups' members- which has to date three thousand members. So, a nice enough presented unground noise release- which can be purchased from here
Support Unit started in 2015, and is one of the projects of Fargo, North Dakota based Brandon Wald- of projects Concrete Skirt, Incendiary Cult, Monowolf, OK Oil Company, Piss Enema, Support Unit, Sword Of Kahless, and runner of the noise Black Ring Rituals Records. To date, discogs listed the project having fifty-seven release to its name, though I suspect it’s a few more than that- due to this being a walled noise project, and more than a few labels don’t list on the site.
The single/ self-titled track runs at the 38.52 mark. It opens with a truly battering blend of pummeling lows and seared static rush- as the ‘wall’ progresses we get a few shifts over the tracks length- though it never losses its dense & blotting-out rage. We go from a blend of galloping mids and baying junk tip drones, onto sputtering static spray underfed with swirling low-end drifts, through to rapid bass roll topped with a searing static rush. None of the texturally mixes are hugely inventive or daring, with the whole thing kept rapid and unrelenting though-out. On the whole, as ultra crude and roughshod HNW goes Mai Mai Kata Katanga is rather appealing and effective.
As far as I can recall Mai Mai Kata Katanga is my first taster of Support Unit output, and I certainly seeking out some more as this is most worthy dense/intense HNW matter. And the themes/ idea behind the project work is something a little different too with all of its releases focusing on Anarchist groups/ ideals.