Wasteland Jazz Ensemble – “S/T” – [Gilgongo Records]

Albion Moonlight   2/9/2023   12-inch, A Library

Albion Moonlight 2/12/2023 12-INCH, A Library

Describing themselves as playing ‘destroyed music’, the Cincinnati duo of Jon Lorenz and John Rich expand their soul-sucking feedback-saturated reed work into a 7 piece group including guitar, bass, electronics, and percussion. This release features 7 tracks, ingeniously titled I – VII on two 12″ LPs. Not a whole lot of variation between tracks. There are a couple of less frenetic cuts, but overall this is balls to the wall, unrestrained noise, electronic, full-throated, unrelenting. Noise aficionados may find subtlety and variation within but to this neophyte mostly familiar with free jazz skronk, I kinda felt like I had just had an MRI done. Nonetheless, I applaud the dedication to their ethos.

-Albion