Drumm, Kevin – “Relief” – [Editions Mego]

Noisician Kevin Drumm, based in Chicago (who works with the likes of Daniel Menche, Jim O’Rourke, and Mats Gustaffson) bring us a new album, a little bit more noisy and experimental than other releases, but harmonious nonetheless. Electronic manipulations over organ or synth, Both sides start off right in the middle (oxymoronic?) of the hazy electronic ramblings. Here’s a list of phrases I came up with listening to this:

Sonic adventure

Aural abduction

Auditory seduction

Neurological gestation

Sensatory hallucination

Thwerps, thwarps, blips and clang. I hallucinated the sounds of motorcycles, helicopters, electric guitar feedback, voices, racecars, a jet engine, geese, freeway traffic. Felt like going through an endless underground BART tunnel, with all the lights off and everyone’s got a candle, chanting. Oh, and the conductor is passing around peyote buttons. Harsh and cozy, comforting and bludgeoning, soft and sharp, lay down tired on a bed of nails and R-E-L-A-X…