My blog is dedicated to the music of Southern California. Yet, I've been known to bend the rules from time to time, I usually stick to my guns. Here's the thing, when Southern California label Deathbomb Arc, run by members of the band Foot Village, offers to send you three of their upcoming releases to review, you jump at the chance. Deathbomb Arc is know for their offbeat and very experimental releases ranging from noise to ambient and everything in between, the three albums I've been given to review are that and then some. This is the first review of the three, Blue Sabbath Black Fiji's album, Gemini.
This duo from Glasgow, UK, for me, have come epitomize what noise music is capable of. Upon first listening to their album, Gemini, I thought it would be the stereotypical meandering and fiddling of knobs that I have come to accept of most noise acts. And in most cases that's all they ever seem to be; no objective, no structure, just seemingly aimless plunking away at pedals and noise generators. Don't get me wrong, I like that sort of stuff in live settings. The chaotic mashing of pedals and twisting of knobs brings me back to a place in my childhood where being as noisy as possible was an absolute joy at times. Still I do search for more substance out of my art. That's where BSBF come in.
Blue Sabbath Black Fiji are less noodling, more chaotic. The first track, "Laksa Bath", the chaos starts out as static and brilliantly blends into the background yet other elements come in to drive you mad. The track bleeds into a hum then sputters out like a robot malfunctioning. But my favorite track has to be "Sun Ra Was a Wookie". Clocking in at a lengthy 10 minutes, the song never loses steam which, for me, is an accomplishment in and of itself. Other noise bands, halfway through a track at the same length, you'd have me half asleep from boredom or have relegated my listening from really grabbing my attention to mere background noise. BSBF really has a grasp at making noise enjoyable. This song is , dare I say it, almost danceable.
Good noise bands, to me, are few and far between. Overall, Gemini is a great CD and a perfect introduction for anyone looking to delve into the noise genre. More than the meandering mess of most noise bands. Blue Sabbath Black Fiji is definitely in that small group.
Blue Sabbath Black Fiji - Gemini
Available through Deathbomb Arc
Blue Sabbath Black Fiji are less noodling, more chaotic. The first track, "Laksa Bath", the chaos starts out as static and brilliantly blends into the background yet other elements come in to drive you mad. The track bleeds into a hum then sputters out like a robot malfunctioning. But my favorite track has to be "Sun Ra Was a Wookie". Clocking in at a lengthy 10 minutes, the song never loses steam which, for me, is an accomplishment in and of itself. Other noise bands, halfway through a track at the same length, you'd have me half asleep from boredom or have relegated my listening from really grabbing my attention to mere background noise. BSBF really has a grasp at making noise enjoyable. This song is , dare I say it, almost danceable.
Good noise bands, to me, are few and far between. Overall, Gemini is a great CD and a perfect introduction for anyone looking to delve into the noise genre. More than the meandering mess of most noise bands. Blue Sabbath Black Fiji is definitely in that small group.
Blue Sabbath Black Fiji - Gemini
Available through Deathbomb Arc
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