wilt: the black box aesthetic

wil-tbba.jpg (14k) wilt: the black box aesthetic
(organic conversations) - 2000

the black box aesthetic holds 17 glittering shards which lock together to form a portal into unrecognizable spaces. Somber soundscapes surround, organically-alive yet without clearly-defined cues, leaving the listener to wander through the sonic surreality of wilt's twistedly filmic (and generally somewhat abrasive) soundworlds. There's plenty of the unknown to fear here, though for some the prospect will be one of pleasurably obscured isolationism.

With Pandora-esque results, opening the black box emits a shadowy torrent of semi-musical currents, writhing ominously then fading away as searching for a corner blows determinedly in on the foul winds of thundering machinery. Like a bulldozer plowing through the depths of hell, nothing is exact not even nothingness churns in seismically grinding spasms of scattering murk.

Monstrous roars briefly erupt into the lingering haze of when will we fall while cold shell seems to travel through the dimly lit chambers and passages of some haunted starship. Besides designing the disc's sleeve, Steve Brand of augur contributes sound sources to playing in the vacuum; I get the impression of a tremendous howling suction ripping through an abandoned warehouse.

A subdued-though-still-noisy vortex awaits as approaching singularity rumbles like some massive asteroid passing through radiation fields. No such subtleties as static trench brazenly sputters with grungy energies. Just a hint of tonality exists in the drone behind the thrum beneath the billowing spew of detritus of socalled empty space (8:55).

Several other basically interchangeable tracks dwell in similar zones of electromechanicalorganic chaos with the final exception of farewell track closing the black box (1:27); slightly musical, yet shapeless and low, tones serpentine with little interference.

By pouring out the contents of the black box aesthetic, wilt forms bizarre pathways which actually seem to go places... places of looming malevolence and disturbed dreams, to be sure. I blame the often-horrific sense of location on the use of (torturously transmuted) field recordings, and am morbidly fascinated by the ever-shifting turbulence. Despite a wearying relentlessness, an 8.3 is bestowed on this series of nightmares...not for the easily-unsettled or short-of-patience. 8-3.gif
This review posted February 28, 2001

AmbiEntrance © 2001-1997 by David J Opdyke (except CD cover art, rights retained by original owners).