#cell-scape

Melt-Banana’s first hi-fi album was, by nature, also their first that didn’t feel utterly formless and chaotic (both enjoyable features in themselves). That isn’t to say they didn’t still take you on a hell of a ride. All the hi-fi recording really did to Melt-Banana was make every rumble and spasm more audible, opening up the different areas of their sound to more audible experimentation.

At the forefront of that experimentation sees the duo dispelling with the idea that noise music has to be hazy and infirm in order to be truly “noise”. Melt-Banana’s guitar lines and their multi-trackings are clearly heard and purposeful. The post-production warping only further succeeds in wrapping your mind in and upon itself. Even the “ambient” (read: still really fucking loud) intro and outro seem to redefine what one expects of a noise rock record, and that isn’t even touching on the drumming. And, on top of all the guitar experimentation and bass grot, I still find it rather absurd that this album doesn’t have a drummer. Given the impact of the fills here and piledriving nature of the drumming, it’s hard to fathom that they’ve come from programming.

But that’s what makes so much of Melt-Banana’s music so compelling. Even here, on their first hi-fi record, they’re entirely incomprehensible. But they’re brilliantly incomprehensible and, so much more unpredictable than your average noise rock band, they leave you feeling satisfyingly insane.

God they really are. I’ve been eagerly awaiting a new release from them because I really don’t know of many bands that sound like they do. I’ve seen them live twice and like the shittest, smallest venue and both times it was the BEST show I’d seen up until then. i met with all the guys back stage too since no one gave a shit and they’re all really chill and super nice.

Melt-Banana - If It Is The Deep Sea, I Can See You There