This is the second album from Polish band RZWD who comprise Ski (drums, electronics), Krzystof Rogalski (bass), Cezary Rosiński (dubs, synths, mod, electronics) and swrcfx (dubs, synths, guitar) and is undoubtedly one of those albums where I feel totally unqualified to write about it whatsoever. This is not the first time this has occurred in my 35+ years of reviewing, but it doesn’t happen very often, and when it does, I flounder around trying to work out what to say. You see, this is hardcore dance noise music, bringing together the likes of Rave, Techno, House, all genres I have spent all of my life avoiding like the plague. I knew I was in trouble when I read the words, “It’s a soundtrack that works best as a backdrop to movement, whether coordinated or not.”
Luckily for me, I can appreciate some of what is going on here as while the dance side is alien to me, what they are bringing to that is the improvised and RIO approach which I have come to listen to much more in recent years, and the idea is that this a live band who can perform this music as opposed to being a full-blown DJ set, which takes us into the world of avant garde, noise, and so much more. It is music which, like the cover, is solely in black and white – there is no colour here, no rest, as it is an ongoing assault on the senses as it attempts to turn the listener into a sweaty mess. There are not many who are going to sit down with headphones and attempt to dissect what is going on, this is designed for a space where there is no air conditioning, it is loud, the strobes are flashing, and people a lot younger than me are gyrating their limbs as their brains attempt to make sense of it all. Carton Records continue to push boundaries, and if you enjoy the odd bit of dance then why not try it out? Just be aware it is very odd indeed.
Rating: 6/10
Links:
https://www.facebook.com/rozwod555
https://www.cartoncartoncarton.com/