Merzbow – Amlux
I started this blog with the intention of writing about noise and experimental music with the occasional pop album. Somehow most of my posts have been about indie rock, and I’d like to change that. So let’s talk about a very special musician.
Merzbow.
The word has caused more groaning than any other in the music world with the possible exception of “Justin Beiber”.
People that don’t like Merzbow often declare that all of his hundreds of records sound exactly the same, but I find people who say this usually have not even sat through one record by him. Merzbow is a great artist but he doesn’t meet you halfway. His songs are often very long and they require you to sit through the whole thing. What I love about Merzbow, and especially the album I’m posting on, Amlux, is that you really feel rewarded for sitting through the whole thing.
A song, such as “Looping Jane,” offers such a wide range of dynamics throughout that it becomes a very satisfying listen. “Jane” ominously builds for several minutes as it adds layer upon layer, and shifts between various loops. The opener “Takemitsu” builds off this rattling and propulsive drum loop. At one point the song breaks apart into a stuttering freak-out that is one of my favorite moments in any of his songs.
The closer Luxurious Automobiles is damn good. Its a pretty quiet song over the course of its 22 minutes, mostly building sounds off a few loops, one sounds like helicopter blades, another sounds almost like horns. It always comes back to the signature Merzbow drone, you know the one, it sounds like you’re hearing an explosion far off in the distant. I fucking love that.
Expressway To Yr Skull 
It’s been a while since you have posted! It’s true that not many people give Merzbow a chance – but his vast library and often hard-to-find-enjoyable noise can really alienate a person.
The question often is, where to start? Good post 🙂
Nice post. I’m constantly surprised by the many shades of Merzbow.