Author: Mike

The sound worlds of Richard Bégin are grounded in electroacoustic ambient incorporating shimmering structures combined with static, pops, and clicks. This adds analog warmth to an approach that otherwise would be leaning toward the cold and dark. Indeed, several tracks of the ten on this recording include patterns of synth chords that are both ominous yet strangely melodic.

Beyond the drones – of which there are plenty – Bégin has a penchant for finding unusual sounds and structures for accompaniment. These elements are echoed and looped. Whether lightly percussive, sculpted white noise, mechanical, or more traditionally musical in nature, they waft about in a dreamlike fashion. Their wavelike patterns are gritty and borderline psychedelic, yet (with just a few exceptions) proceed with a degree of gentleness.

The bottom line is that Bégin’s use of textures is exquisite in its detail, simplicity, and impact. While he draws from a broad palette, each piece makes maximal use of its constituent parts. Thus, despite their varied and unpredictable nature, these offerings come across as being carefully composed.

Phase 5 was released on May 11 by Reverse Alignment. If you appreciated Bégin’s 2022 offering, Fragile Section, you will find much to like here.

Hatomatsuri is the latest dense slab of tinnitus-inducing walled noise from Merzbow. All of the usual musical(?) elements are present – grinding substrates of distorted static, sculpted feedback, wispy features, and drill-like staccato constructs. From these building blocks, Merzbow assembles two 15-minute tracks of loosely-controlled chaos. While Hatomatsuri does not break much ground when compared to the Merzbow discography as a whole (with its more than 500 releases), that is not the point of this project. Instead, let Masami Akita guide you through a truly disorienting and strangely psychedelic torrent of harsh sounds.