Jazkamer is doing a CD a month. I now wish I’d signed up for a subscription but after Merzbow’s effort in 2009 I was feeling a bit burnt. The thing about Jazkamer’s series that makes it much more interesting that Merzbow’s, is that each record is exploring a different Jazkamer style. And that is essentially why I am such a big Jazkamer fan – every record is something new and if you listen to one of their early records like Pancakes and compare it to Metal Music Machine you’ll think that they were made by two very different bands indeed. Self-Portrait is the bands first “acoustic record” and I really wanted to hear what their interpretation of acoustic is so this is the reason I started with Self-Portrait from their current series. Half the fun is trying out what the band are using to make the racket on this record. And I do mean racket…. and clatter. This is like a minimalist bi-polar Vibracathedral Orchestra. One minute where all energetic and improving the fuck out of it, the next thing they’re sulking in the corner dragging a chair. When I first listened to Self-Portrait I was a bit underwhelmed but in the past couple of months I’ve started to really enjoy it. I reckon that this is a pretty interesting variant on experimental sound or a more organic, less brutal noise. If you’re a bit nerdy about your noise (and I am) this will be right up your alley.
Ducks Battle Satan 