A thalamus is a small structure deep in the brain that helps coordinate sensations and consciousness. If you want to make yours rattle and hum, listen to Thalamus III, a two-disc set of intense ambient music recorded live in 2005. The performance took place in St. Petersburg and the artists are pillars of the Russian Industrial music scene. It's dark and gritty noise music that draws you in and freaks you out at the same time. Expect trippy collages of musical and industrial sounds, not pulsing house music.
This sort of industrial art noise is similar to more mainstream electronic music. It's full of synths and samples and some of the tracks do have a steady bump to them. “Unknown Track 1” byNeizvestnost' has an almost Latin dance feel and “Cambodia” by DMT suddenly explodes into 30 seconds of loud, steady pounding. A few other tracks have down-tempo trip-hop-style drum beats. You'll hear samples of voices in at least two different languages, babies crying, singing obscured by static. It all adds to the atmosphere. In the foreground of “Untitled 1” by Bardoseneticcube a fervent male voice orates in German and it's unsettling. It's also part of one of the album's best tracks, a riveting collage that constantly evolves and changes shape.
I recommend all one-and-a-half hours of dark vibes and trippy soundscapes on Thalamus III. The musical engineers featured are far-out creative experts, and listening to it you might feel transported to a mental foreign land.
Best Tracks: Neizvestnost' - Unknown Track 2, DMT – Cambodia, DMT – Cannibalism, Bardoseneticcube - Untitled 1
June 22, 2010
