Cassette Review // Plake 64 & the Hexagrams "Ultima Materia" (Ingrown Records)

https://ingrown.bandcamp.com/album/ultima-materia

Somewhat distorted tones take us into this video game type of carousel ride that just feels like so much fun.  This is a combination of being on the party bus and just running around wild like in Super Mario Bros.  A distorted wave sinks things down now and some scratches come through as well.  We're dance-dance-revolutioning again as the beeping electronics are moving faster than the speed of light.  In a lot of ways this feels like playing a video game and just button mashing, but I also know it's just that process of playing so fast and being so good at it.

Deeper, sort of wavy drones come in now.  Higher angelic tones take the shift.   A new frequency now with some alien-like communications and I can only imagine being on a planet where we don't know their language and they are trying to speak to us.  It's that idea of language existing beyond our understanding as humans.  A loud distortion blast just comes in and obliterates everything now.  The guitar is strumming through it, like Asteroids just blasting rocks.

It feels like there is a humming coming through this all and it also just feels like a glitch your computer might make.   Digital ocean style waves crash over everything now.  From loud to quieter, we're into these smaller tones of higher frequencies of space.   Then back into deeper bass synth tones, but a steady pace.  This is wavy and somewhat like the glitch before, just not as fast paced until these break beats kick in.   Electronic insects bring out tones which just drop off now.  The static crackle behind it all, until the keys come out like we've just won at the video game.  

Quieter, slower moving and somewhat more bass tones take us into a calming way now.  This leads to a slow build back up with a series of distorted beeps which are more likely guitar notes like Hendrix.   This just feels like it's growing as it goes up and down, expanding and giving life to all who listen.  It feels like we're picking up now, but in a glitch way.  Running out of gas, we go into a more celestial galaxy.  Singing comes in behind all of this now and it feels holy.   Distortion comes in with the hue and then a dark droning.  A rooster crows.   Lawnmower.  

On the flip side we begin with the sound of sitting down for a magical storytime.  This switches over to a faster, radiant wind chime sound and it can even feel like someone is singing along with it.  All of these sounds are just coming out and switching up so fast, but they linger enough that once you get used to them they're gone.  There is a feeling of electronic spoons and banjos in here now as the distortion comes and takes it all over.   This twists and winds, almost like a cat meowing or some other animal making an electronic noise.

A synth laser cutting through now like we're opening a safe.  That rambling electronic banjo is behind it all still.  Everything gets quiet now but the electric banjo and then the synth comes back as well.  Distortion joins them both.   Synth tones now like we're in the Legend of Zelda and there is also singing with this.  This can almost feel like the Flaming Lips at this point, but it's pretty far out there.  It sinks down and feels like we're over as we take a pause.

Space frequencies cut through now as the sound starts back up.  There is also defintiely someone talking in the back of this, as if it's layered with the tones over a recording in a classroom or something and then the speaking is just more muted back there.  The opening of a can, the rooster again and then those whirrs keep changing frequency levels.  Loud rock music now like a party next door that you can hear.  Darker tones like perhaps we're going into a song by The Cure now.  Steps walking away.

Now we're into these warped voices with the turning of cranks.  It feels like we're having a conversation but in a very trippy way.  Bottles like glass are dropping and clanking.  Lighter tones come in now and pick up the pace like we're in a fun movie.  This really feels like a lot of fun, just bouncing around and playing in the clouds.  It ends with a ringing and this whole cassette will just question your reality as the music can so quickly change from the speed to volume, almost as if to keep the listener on their toes but more likely just because it's so much fun.