Ilth Zongz – “Thee Elephant Mensch” – [Skrot Up]

abacus   4/16/2014   A Library, Cassette

Christopher Ilth of Chicago brings two side-longs of tape collage with loops of detuned upright piano fed through fx pedals, reel-to-reel and 4-track. Side-longs is deceptive, actually, as there are breaks throughout (side 1 – 1:55, 8:45, 12:25 and 19:00 / side 2 – 9:20 and about 20 seconds of silence around 16:50). Also the last piece of side 1 seems to carry over to the beginning of side 2 like that piece was cut in the middle of the cassette break. All very confusing actually, but it goes well with the fractured and looped sound pieces restrung together into clackety factory rhythms and heavy aqueous drones all peppered with tribal drumming and bullroarer voice echoes. Entrancing repetition evoked in a rhythmic sense on side 1 but on side 2 delving deeper with full drawn out tones and a swaying pulse, also much bass heavier, resonating your chest cavity with sewer reverberations and ocean mist organ meditations. Apparently Thee Elephant Mensch mask has since gone missing and was last seen on a stranger on a passing bus. I AM NOT AN ANIMAL!