Cassette Review //
Psychonic Imaging
"Nothing Is Often Ignored"
(Steep Gloss)


£5 //

This cassette begins with a slow, plodding type of drone which just becomes everything in the background of this first song.  There are these scratches which also can sound like string plucks coming through and then this huge wave of distortion just overtakes the entire sound- like a supersonic blast from some gun in an old sci-fi film.   It can feel droning and ambient, relaxing, but just as easily can shock you right back into reality with some harshness.

An ominous, deep drone comes into the picture for the next song and the sound of glass bottles clanking around joins it.  Insects can be heard now, almost robotic, and it begins to feel like we are in a jungle.  But the jungle doesn't make it feel like we're on safari, no, it's more like a concrete jungle and this sound of bugs could simply be coming from within our own apartment, our own fears of living in an overpopulated city.

We feel like we're drifting off now, blasted through static and right out into space.   A bass hue like a whistle now and this one does begin to feel rather alien.   It feels like something straight out of a horror film, but I have to go with the obvious choice here of "Alien".   We're floating through space now, small meteors crashing and exploding around us, but otherwise we are not affected.   Little buzzes of static come through to remind us of where we are but it somehow feels like we've found a peace we've never experienced before.

It sounds as if we're shuffling through something now- a suitcase perhaps- and this ever-present sound like a car horn is behind it.  The banging turns into something louder now, as everything else goes away, and it just feels like we're somewhere we are not supposed to be.   Boom, an accordion type of sound and then some squeals like mice take on a loop here now, as we have come to some basement perhaps to meet our bitter end.

A quieter, more spatial feel now to this next song as it brings on the ambient slowly.   Words can be heard now but I'm not sure if they're spoken or singing as they are hidden in here rather well.   It sounds as if the boats are sounding their horns so I feel as if we are lost at sea.   A little bit of scratching now and then it sounds like something was just picked up and thrown down.  If we're on some sort of large boat, it sounds like the control room for it is being destroyed.   I feel those little chirps like crickets and now it almost sounds as if a voice is singing most heavenly.

On the flip side we start with things back to that darker place where it feels more haunted.   It's a little bit squeaky, like swinging on a rusty cage, but then this series of notes comes through which sounds like a computer booting up or some type of outer space jazz.   With these notes, beeps and just general feelings of being in vast space this particular part just feels as if we are floating around, seeing things pass us by, but we are not able to grab at them- everything just feels so out of reach.

The next song begins with some sounds which feel like a car trying to start.  There are some beats which come up briefly and then it's just this wave, this gentle rocking back and forth of sound.  Strings delicately plucked now.   There is this deep, diving way about this song but with all of the chimes and other feelings like it is a mess it can just feel like it's falling apart. 

A sound like a seagull now- a whistle perhaps- and distorted beats become shots fired.   A rapid beeping grows and you can hear the birds now.    Words can somewhat be heard in the chaos and then we slow down to a few distorted shots- they cut off a bit quicker and are a bit quieter.  There is a buzzing behind it, but it definitely feels like we are burning out.   It feels like we're in a laser war now, as the sounds seem to be fighting with each other at a high level of sharpness.

With a steady stream those plucks return which sound like things falling apart around us and the whole thing just begins to fade.   It's the scraping of the strings now of some old rusty guitar and it feels both like pleasure and pain combined.   With a slow hum this one comes to an end as it just feels like it bleeds out.









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