Tetsuo — RTM t1/2

RTM t1/2 is a recent CDR box set from Tetsuo- the tight & tense electro drone ‘n’ sine wave project of well thought-of French noisemaker Julien Skrobek( Ghost, Gesis, Ruine, Sumbru & many other projects). The set takes in six discs, and just over six hours of sound- and I’d guess you'd describe this as a logical extension of  the release Gabber DNA/ Empty Warehouse mix- a 3 inch CDR where Skrobek offered up an original then remastered track- but instead of each track been around the ten minute mark, they are hitting the thirty-minute mark- which does have both it’s plus & negatives.

The plain CDR’s each feature a pen written roman numeral- with all six coming in a six-disc DVD case- this features fairly stark white wrap-around sleeve. The front cover shows someone smoking a joint with the face cut out & replaced with static shapes, and on the back & spine we get minimal black text against a white background- these lists the tracks, and set up used which takes a white noise generators, FX pedals, drum machine & sine wave generator. I’m not really sure how many of these were made, and if there are any copies still left?.
 
Each disc features tow around half an-hour tracks- we have an initial version of a track, then a remixed version. Both tracks are fairly dense & claustrophobic- with each remix altered  the original in different manners. Skrobek, of course, is most known for his work in the walled noise/ textured noise genre. And from-to-time you do get tenuous connections with that genre- but really what we have here is electronic fed drone with often sparse & unmoving sonic elements.
 
As this is a release that focuses in on set, dense, and locked down electro drone studies- I found I didn’t enjoy all of the discs here fully- at times the remixes are more worthy than the original, and make you want to replay the original track- but due to the seared, taut, and really harmonic feel of all of the tracks- it's not something you'll return to often. So, as a result, I’ll select a few moments that stood out to me- disc two’s second track "Parallel(Op Slot mix)"- with it’s blurred & compressed mix of electro chop, seemingly slowing-then speeding up, electro tones- that are locked in looped swirl of wispy noise haze. Disc three-second track "Tram(paradoxale Statis mix)"- where we find a blend of a slurred electro chug, whistling & smarting siren waves, and low case noise fog. The mix of constant stab beats, sour siren waves & whining noise haze of disc fives Beschaving.
 
RTM t1/2 is certainly a difficult, at times painful electro drone ‘n’ sear release- it shows Skrobek pushing his noise craft even father out. I’d say you not necessarily going to like it if you’re a fan of Skrobek more wall-noise/ textured noise release- as this box set has a lot more to do with electronic drone, very  sparse electronica, and pressing siren sweeps…I certainly look forward to seeing where he goes next with this project, as he’s certainly doing some fairly original, even though if it’s not very listener-friendly.