Koff Kirk - A Practical Guide To Personal Serenity

Artist: Koff Kirk
Release: A Practical Guide To Personal Serenity
Label: Organic Pipeline
Year: 2006
Format: 5" CDr
Tracks: 4
TRT: 36:43

Koff Kirk is Roger Smith (of ChefKirk) and Jan-Morten Iversen (who does most noise under the title Iversen) and is an ongoing collaboration. The fact that these two are working together on a release was enough to want me to review it. This release is noted as a .wav file collaborative project thats heavy on the digital manipulations. All tracks are untitled and it comes packaged in a DVD slimcase with no inserts. The front cover is a black & white picture of a close up of a cloud I believe. No art on the CDr either. Simple.

Track 1, just under 6 minutes, starts out with crunching that’s about as textured as you can get. It’s then quickly switches to some high pitches squeals with loud scrapping tones. Near the 3 minute mark a great loop comes in that sounds like an eastern guitar. Very nice and it truly works well with the track and it distortion of high notes and tones.

Track 2, the longest one at over 21 minutes, sounds very much like one long live take. Like I’m sitting in a concert and watching these two perform in front of me, even though I don't think it was. It begins with a lot of metal scrapping patterns and some distortion that hisses lightly in the background. Some feedback occurs as well, which adds to an extra layer of noise. Near 4 minutes it goes into a vibrating low bass tone that switches pitches here and there. There are some great looping patterns that immerge soon after. Then comes in some digital delay rips with a yelling loop added in. Good switching between textures and noise levels in this track for sure. Gets really interesting at 8 minutes and I can’t begin what they’re using to make these sounds I hear. Lots of high and low ends in this track and that helps you get through the 20+ minutes very quickly. An excellent listen overall. It ends with an uber low bass riff that I think is the best part of the track.

Track 3, at 7:25, sounds very "spacey" at the start and soon goes in to a computer sounding rumble tumble with heavy distortion and "computer click" sounds in the background. Hard to describe but I’ve not heard anything like this before. It is however very Iversen sounding from what I’ve heard. My personal favorite track on this disc. If your use to the cut up style of noise like some Sissy Spacek and Jake Vida then this track fits right in. Track ends with a massive high-pitched note that I couldn’t even finish…hurt the fucking ears.

Track 4, at 2:07, finishes the disc off nicely with a low bass digital glitch that repeats at 300bpm. Half way through it pulls out and gets into a different pattern with some minor distortion layered overtop and ends like the previous track, a high tone that just drove my cats crazy.

Separately I’ve heard these two and I think they’re noise is some of the best I’ve heard. This disc is the first time I’ve heard them together and although I’d rather hear their solo works hearing the two of them was a treat and I wasn’t disappointed at all. Noise I truly never heard before.

16 Bitch Pile-Up: Bury Me Deep

Artist: 16 Bitch Pile-Up
Release: Bury Me Deep
Label: Troniks
Year: 2007
Format: 5" CD
Tracks: 9
TRT: 51:45

Horror noise is something I’m a fan of and it’s not just the artwork that has to appeal to me but the sounds also have to evoke a horrific emotion as well. The new 16 Bitch Pile-Up disc does exactly that. When I saw the artwork, which I’ll explain a bit later, I had to own this. Listening to the sounds when I got the disc was something else. The artwork put me in the frame of mind I needed to be in and after hearing the experimental tones on the CD I was enthralled and ready to rate this as the best release of the year, it’s only March!

There’s a good mix of track lengths in this release. Ranging from 7 seconds to 18 minutes, all untitled and they all flow together well. The first track grabs you right away as a good introductory piece. Slow moving scraping sounds with muffled vocal hisses. If you’re a fan of Woman of the SS it’ll appeal to you for sure. Track #2 is probably my favorite and the one that sets the tone of this disc to a "T". It’s an 18 minute slow moving tonal synth piece. Not much variation but it’s a track to listen to with the lights off at the witching hour. I listened to it at noon with the Sun in my face and I was still creeped out! Track #3 is footsteps with a creaking door and SLAM! Seeing as how this disc is telling a story, this tracks fits well. Track #4 starts off with sounds of racing bikes and engines mix with tonal bass tabs. I see the inspiration in these bitches’ eyes while making this disc. The track is not what I call normal noise that I’m use to but again, it fits well with the rest of the disc. The track features more bike sounds however than noise, which some may get turned off from after 11 minutes of it. Track #5 is a 8 minute experimental sound piece with sounds of rubbing things together it sounds like, not sure what. Maybe symbolizing a poor boys torment? Who knows. After a minute more noises creep in. Echo sounds that sound like muffled vocals again. More of what we heard in the first track with more variation. Alarms ring and a nice heart beat pound to finish it off. Track #6 begins with a louder pounding of a heartbeat with pokes of metal sounding noises slowly finding it’s way in. The track then begins to more in a double heat beat with a bass loop. Started to shake my wall unit. There’s a great electrical sound in the track too that sounds like it’s right out of an old Frankenstein movie. A good 4 minute piece overall. Track #7, at 7 seconds, is pretty much a 1 second clip of a huff. Then track #8 hits you like a punch in the face. Wall noise of screaming to the extreme. Ear blistering vocals from the bitches’ come at you show you what it’s like to fucking die!!! Damn, they can sound good getting murdered. After almost 2 minutes of yelling a cheap ass happy tune plays in. Not sure where it’s from but it says, "This one’s for you" a few times so I think I get why they placed in on the CD. My second favorite track on the disc. The disc ends with a short 23 piece of a banged loop that fades out with a high pitched tone. Overall this disc was just grand in its performance, now, let’s talk about the artwork.

The layout, done by Damion Romero, is like something from a 80’s horror flick. Electric font in purple and little ads in print stating "from the band that brought you…They Went Extinct Because They Became Invisible…" and "The beaches were covered in blood…and so were the bitches!" Just love it and again, it sets this disc apart from 99% of the others out there. The photography, which features the cast of bitches murdered all blooded, was done by none other than David Lim of Tralphaz. Didn’t know he could take such good pictures and after seeing this release he’ll probably do some more. There’s three ladies, Sarah Bernat, Sarah Cathers, Shannon Walter and each of them gets sprawled out and left for dead on the beach. One, featured on the cover, is on a sacrificial rock. Poor girl. The insert even folds out to a poster. If you get one disc this year make sure it’s this one. I know there’s a lot of horror fans in noise and this one sets your mood 100%. Pure and perfect.

Scalar - Ephemera

Artist: Scalar
Release: Ephemera
Label: none
Year: 2006
Format: 5" CDr
Tracks: 7
TRT: 25:15

This is Scalar's first release and length wise I'd believe it to be an EP. There are a total of seven tracks and all of them are nearly the same length, between 3:05 and 4:18. This is some really unique experimental music as well. It's a great mix of MIDI drums glitched up, some guitar samples stretched, and great drones. It's interesting to note that I get a feeling of some many different genre's all at once. Grindcore even pops up sometimes.

Hivecrusher, track two, is one of the better ones. A great glitch pattern persists for the first while with some great droned loops that are a bit distorted. There's actual notes being played as well so it has a great musical vibe to it. It's not just hammering at a drum pad or pressing random keys. There's a great feeling of Aphex Twin mixed with AE mixed with Morbid Angel...I shit you not!

Track four, Betrayer3, is full on noise. The only noise track on here. Wall noise with an occasionally pause here and there. Some high pitched drones follow as well but for the most part this one needs to be turned way up!

The rest of the disc follows in the same lines as the first three tracks. Great glitch patterns and tonal notes that drone in between. I think the length of the disc is perfect. Any longer and I might have gotten bored as the variation doesn't change a whole lot.

The artwork is a white CDr disc place in a paper sleeve with a clear window. The insert is an excellent looking gold paper print with the Scalar symbol in black. Great fonts too. Overall for a first release this is a great listen and I really look forward to hearing more from Scalar.

Various - Haris Pilton Noise

Artist: Various
Release: Haris Pilton
Label: Roil Noise Rubbish
Year: 2006
Format: 5" CDr
Tracks: 13
TRT: 54:07

Roil Noise Rubbish is a new label run as a "trade only" style under the noiser Rubbish. This CDr is the first compilation on the label and is very DIY. There are a total of 13 tracks, some copies have 12 from what I hear but I believe the unlisted tracks are Rubbish himself anyway. I'll list an artist by artist review for the compilation seeing as how there's a few different styles of noise but they have one thing in common, they're all remixes of Paris Hilton tracks.

Starting the disc is an opening track by ADF. Put Things In My Butt is a great opener. Harsh scrap'n remix loops of some great pop beats. It's opens with Paris "Make a lot of noise, I don't wanna be quiet." Suits it to a "T". You can actual bob your head up and down to this noise remix too.

The next 3 tracks, The Morning After A Night In Paris Parts 1-3, are glitch remixes done by Circle Six. Turning out to be a glitch master after I hear each release I just love what he did with Paris Hilton's tracks. There are a number of things happening within each of the 3 songs. Groovy skips and loops. Manipulation of speed with her vocals and music. Sometimes there's a drone or two and track three ends very industrial like. It's great! I'm reminded a lot of Kid 606 when I hear Circle Six remixes.
Track 5, Coca-Cola, is an untitled track. Fully distorted and fucked up. Again, Paris Hilton sample "Make a lot of noise" is heard throughout. I like the track but I think too much of the original was used. I wanna hear noise, not pop music.

Next two tracks are done by E.E. First one, Eeriolmegamix, uses great loops and a lot of fucking bass but the track is way to repetitive for my taste. The next track of E.E.ItstheParisHiltonAss! is the longest at over 10 minutes. It begins with a great opener of some child’s cartoon that has words spliced together to say, "It's the Paris Hilton Ass!". It then goes into total wall noise with some high pitched sounds here and there and scratches as well. Keeps you on your toes. Back and forth back and forth. Then the outro follows. Clean well-done noise. Can't hear much of the original PH in this one.

Hematurge follows with a great harsh blitz, I'm Not Leaving Without You Impaled. It's harsh wall noise heaven with subtle loops here and there. My kind of noise for sure as this is some of the style I'm use to playing myself. at 3:46 is short and sweet. Probably my favorite on the comp.

Lonely Carbon follows with Y-soula-Ej. This track is probably the least noisiest on the compilation. It's pretty much a remix of a PH track with bass added. Repetitive and it could have been better if the bass, which is very good, was left by itself with noise.

Nxfxtxex comes with the most ambient sounding track, Putthecucumberupmybutt!. I like this one a lot. You can just barely tell that PH samples are being used and that notes are being stretched. Great feel and looped well. Very digital feel to it too.

Paris Hitler, whoever this noiser is, comes with a low-fi track that's pretty mono and sounds like it was done live in a bar. Not that great and pretty boring too. Skip!

Rubbish then comes with an unlisted track that's a harsh ass bolt of pop lighting. A short track, 2:24, but one of the better ones on here. Brutal way to end it.

The artwork comes in a paper 5" sleeve with a collage type look. In side features cut outs of adult classified glued on. I have a couple numbers to call now I guess. Now, I'll end by saying that I may have a few of the artists tracks incorrectly listed as some copies I guess have 12 tracks and mine has 13. I'm pretty sure the 5 are correct but after that I'm guessing. Overall it's a great remix compilation and I hope there's more pop muzak rip ups in the future from this label as this is the type of thing that can make noise fun.