Description
#shapednoise #vinyl #vinylrecords
Shapednoise, the master of abstract sound design, embarks on a max-volume trek through the bass continuum with his latest release, “Absurd Matter.” Teaming up with a crack team of collaborators including Moor Mother, Armand Hammer, Dean Hurley, Brodinski, and ZelooperZ, Shapednoise pushes the boundaries of rap, dubstep, and experimental noise, reducing them to ashes in his sonic exploration. Join us as we dive into the depths of this album and explore its haunting atmospheres and spine-tingling collaborations.
After releasing “Aesthesis” in 2019, Nino Pedone, the artist behind Shapednoise, faced a setback when he lost his hearing during the process of piecing together “Absurd Matter.” Forced into a lengthy period of recovery, Pedone’s deep anxiety became intertwined with the album’s core. The ominous introduction, co-authored by David Lynch collaborator Dean Hurley, sets the tone for the collaborations that follow. Rappers like Armand Hammer and Moor Mother bring their barbed words to Pedone’s crippling atmospheres, creating a juxtaposition that intensifies the album’s emotional impact.
One immediately noticeable aspect of the album is its sheer volume. It’s as if Pedone’s struggle with hearing loss has given him a reason to push his music further into the red. Even the most ethereal drones emanate from the speakers with alarming force. On tracks like “Family,” beats are distorted and squashed into twisted wreckage, showcasing Pedone’s inspiration from the chilly rap modernism of his collaborators while also forging his own path. The voices of billy woods and ELUCID merge with sonic detritus, distorted and blasted against metallic, 4K explosions, immersing the listener in an apocalyptic battle or its crumbling aftermath.
As the album progresses, Pedone weaves a tapestry of instrumental tracks that buzz with energy. Liberated from vocal constraints, he indulges in his most abstract inclinations. Tracks like “Swash” interrupt garbled beats with electrostatic elements, while “Savage Mindedness” combines haunted house knocks with jet-engine vibrations. The addition of ZelooperZ’s surreal rhymes on “Know Yourself” brings a touch of coherence, as his words are pulverized into stuttering, robotic incoherence over pneumatic trap triplets and ruptured kicks.
Moor Mother’s punkish rasps on “Poetry” serve as an anchor, grounding Pedone’s celestial and serrated rhythms with urgent rhymes. The track blends precarious bass womps and sinewy blasts of white noise, creating a dynamic interplay. The aptly-titled “Metal” introduces guitar blasts from James Kelly (aka Wife), connecting Pedone’s stylistic inspirations to the realm of extreme music.
Shapednoise’s “Absurd Matter” is an extraordinary sonic expedition that defies categorization. With an all-star cast of collaborators, Pedone explores the bass continuum, reducing genres like rap, dubstep, and experimental noise to their elemental forms. The album’s haunting atmospheres, distorted beats, and intense collaborations create a visceral and immersive experience. “Absurd Matter” stands as a testament to Shapednoise’s artistic vision and willingness to push boundaries, taking listeners on a sonic journey that is both disorienting and captivating.
