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Number None, "Urmerica"
Its not polite to kick someone when they’re down but sometimes certain things need to be put out there and while Urmericaisn’t totally explicit in its outright disgust with the current stateof affairs in the US, it certainly intimates a fair level of defeat andbetrayal.Rebis
Having made hours of eclectically styled recordings in the wake ofBush’s second election win Chris Miller and Jeremy Bushnell havewhittled this outpouring down into this six-track audio essay. Subtlydocumenting their discontent on “Suggestion for a New National Anthem,”they manage to sum up the huge international sigh / ‘how the fuck’ thathappened the morning after. Beginning with a single drone that couldwell be born of the first note of “The Star Spangled Banner” rippedfrom its moorings leads into a sombre piece which speaks volumes aboutsomething lost. The Eno-esque melody of three notes begins to wear awayslowly under the static of some messed up Basinski loops wearing outthe song’s already defeated vibe into an ending of frayed nerves.
The range of music that Number None touch upon here is a lesson tothe majority of the burgeoning noise drone pack and almost as inspiringas the quality of the material. Number None turn their hand to themanipulation of field recordings with “Pacific Metals I” which matchesradio transmissions with power hums and dock loading effects creatingan atmosphere of intense industrial isolation. “Secret Handshake,Hidden hand”s slithering static insinuations give way to thethreatening irradiating percussion of “Compression and Radiation” butit’s the layering of lost whispered secrets on “Dent Magic” that brings“Urmerica” to its peak.
The insomniatic distant vocal line prayer manages to avoid anysentiments of fervency or communion. It just sounds lost. They evenmanage to resurrect the already zombified Throbbing Gristle with theCarter / Christopherson pulse of final track closer “Monster Lobe(Werewolf Corps Victory Theme).” Number None are pushing forwards andoutwards with purpose.
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