This is probably one of the most nauseating, disgusting sounding recordings I own, which isn't a surprise given the artists involved. It has a sound that drips with blood, saliva and phlegm and is more than a visceral experience from both of these two modern aktionists.
Blossoming Noise/Sharkbite Tapes
Consisting of live recordings from 2005 (a single performance from Phillips, three separate ones by Yeldham), both sides of this LP are immaculately presented sonically, with the sparse artwork and virgin white vinyl belying the disgusting mess hidden within the grooves.
Australia's favorite son and dualpLOVER head Justice Yeldham contributes three different shorter performances combined into a single side-long track called "Keep Daddy Safe" that captures sonically what his instrument looks like visually.His instrument is a contact mic’d piece of glass that he covers in KY Jelly and rubs his face on, violently, and blood often ends up an additional part of the mix.
The wet, sloppy undulating noise that comes forth is drenched in overdrive and metallic echoes, occasionally blasting out into almost synth-like textures.The second performance has a more cavernous, hollow sound with flatulent, guttural noises and spacey, sonorous outputs of tone, all thrown together in a sloppy mess.The combination of liquid gushes and distorted buzzes sounds like someone pissing on the third rail, before the performance obviously ends with glass shattering and applause.
Phillips, who is part of the Schimpfluch-Gruppe collective that also includes Rudolf Eb.er (Runzelstirn & Gurgelstock) and Joke Lanz (Sudden Infant), has his own brand of absurdist influenced performance art that is the clear descendant of the Viennese Aktionists, with the "Breaking Tests" of Gunter Brus seemingly as a starting point.
Phillips' performance, "Freedom Isn't Free" begins simple enough, with deep, carefully measured breathing that is barely louder than the crowd noise, paired with a slow electric pulse.Eventually the sound of his heartbeat becomes louder and faster, with the breathing transitioning into hyperventilation.
Any semblance of "normal" behavior is tossed out when his vocalisms twist into dog-like freakouts, choking, gagging, and pained screams, all of which are layered and looped together.Eventually the pieces come together into a heavy wall of noise, layers of squelches and occasional breaks to tense, unpleasant ambience punctuated by labored breathing that comes to a sudden, abrupt end that could almost have been Phillips losing consciousness, given the physical intensity of his performance.
There is this overall feeling of viscera and filth all over the album that makes it undeniably unpleasant, but like a messy car accident, it just makes it all the more attractive.This is two great sides of noise, but not anything pleasant to hear after a big meal.
samples:
- Justice Yeldham - "Keep Daddy Safe" (Excerpt 1)
- Justice Yeldham - "Keep Daddy Safe" (Excerpt 2)
- Dave Phillips - "Freedom Isn't Free"
 
Read More
