The Rita — Macha Vs. Knife

Macha vs. Knife is a CD reissue that highlights two of the lesser heard sides of respected and high influential noise project The Rita( aka Canadian  Sam McKinlay). Both tracks run around the half-an-hour mark, so we have a total runtime of one hour on the disc- and as we’ve come to expect from Mr Mckinlay it’s top-drawer noise craft.

This release appears as a joint release between Stockholm based Ominous Recordings and Minneapolis based Phage Tape. The CD is presented in a monochrome digipak- taking in pictures of the themes of the two tracks here, Macha Magall - euro sleaze/ exploitation actress (The Beast in Heat, The Daughter of Emanuelle, and Private House of the SS), and knives/ razors. The release comes in an edition of 300 copies, and knowing the popularity of The Rita’s work- these won't hang around long.

Both tracks here are from splits, and both are long, long out of print. First, we have Macha Magall- this originally appeared on 2007 split CDR Macha Magall / The Night I Crushed Your Face, which appeared on Richard Ramirez's Deadline Recordings, with a track by US noise project Goat.  "Macha Magall" is a blend of cluttering ‘n’ churning noise-matter, which at points has an almost groove bound feel. We have a dense and cascading weave of forking-to-baying junk ‘n’ metal texturing, and hacking-to- descending static. As we’ve come to expect from McKinlay the noise composition is both highly controlled and skillfully executed. With the blend of noise layers balanced in an even manner, and the attack/ tone of the whole been both bone-rattling and face roasting. All making for brutal rewardingly 'n' violently bucking example of the harsh noise craft.

Next, we have "Straight Razor Vs Knife"- this originally appeared back in 2007 on an untitled CDR split with Maim on Snip-Snip Records. The tracks a decidedly shifting and processed example of noise-making- with its effective, at points rewardingly jarring shifting structure. It moves between spiralling bass grinds ‘n’ intense cluttering. Onto wince-inducing siren wave sweeps over choppy blends of feasting static grain and micro tentacle detail. Through to spluttering grain descents that meet buzzing-to-grinding disc drive purrs. Onto grainy cluttering meets electro buzz sustains. All in all nicely dynamic and intense example of shifting noise making from McKinlay

In finishing, Macha vs. Knife brings together two great examples of masterfully made noise making from McKinlay, with each track highlight slightly different and largely unheard approaches by The Rita. If you fancy picking this CD up, I’d act sooner-than-later….or otherwise, land up feeling disappointed!.