Sutcliffe Jugend and Junko — Sans Palatine Uvula

Some members of the noise world need no introduction, and Sutcliffe Jugend and Junko happen to be a part of that group. Power Electronics legends Sutcliffe Jugend and Noise icon Junko have teamed up for a grating slice of noise on Sans Palatine Uvula from 4iB records. On the surface, the pairing of these legends seems like a dream come true. Overall, it's a quality, noisy release, but just not as fantastic as it could be.

Ten mouth/throat related tracks are a giveaway to what type of sonic mayhem awaits. Well, that's if seeing Junko's name on the cover wasn't a big enough tipoff. Sutcliffe Jugend lays the noise while Junko wreaks havoc with her patented shrieks, squeals, and wails. Most of the tunes on here sounds like early British Power Electronics, but a few of the tracks differ to keep it interesting. "Mouth Ripping" plays like harsher, current, fairly digital PE. "Sans Larynx" and "Throat Leak" tend more toward spacey, reverb laden soundscapes. The beast of the album, "Sans Palatine," spends 14 minutes developing, shifting, and growing into an industrial nightmare. Layers of noise mingle with layers of shrieks to create a thick, wriggling cacophony. Closing the album out is the Noh play-esque "Tongue Splitter." It's sparseness is a great contrast to "Sans Palatine," and the very traditional sound is a nice send off for Junko.

I've never been a huge fan of vocal acrobatics, so this release had me starting off on the wrong foot. Sutcliffe's noise is ok, but I was expecting something more. The restraint lets Junko be heard better, but it also makes the songs sound a bit more disjointed. I never really felt the vocals connecting with the audio, but that could've been my disinterest in the source. I would recommend fans check it out, 'cause I'm sure it's just something personal, not a bum album.