Boris with Merzbow: Klatter

Remarkable restraint: Far less outright noise than on previous collaborations.

None of these acts has ever stood still in creative terms, so it can hardly come as a surprise if their most release (recorded as far back as 2004/5, though), again caters to the principal of ongoing development: There is far less outright noise to be found on Klatter than on their previous collaborations (at least from Merzbow's corner), the music floating through a continuous stream of slightly muffled sound – which nonetheless feel extremely cool, as it more than makes up for this by conveying a sense of organicness.

Side 1, which gets to a slow start on the strength of a moody and minimal „introduction“ and a darkly disfigured interpretation of „akuma no uta“, is mostly made up of „Jane“, the title referencing the German Krautrock formation by the same name. This apparently constitutes a cover version (or perhaps it almost does), although I have to confess a lack of more detailed information here. Be it as it may - by creating a hypnotic rhythm and an equally seductive atmospheric choreography and then repeating these elements with no more than a handful of microscopic variations, the band are playing until everyone in the audience has forgotten everything around them.

On Side 2, „Klatter 1“ continues this trip with its mesmerising machinal drive, before finally flowing into a cosmic rendition of „naki kyoku“ (another reference to their current „akuma no uta“ full-length), on which Merzbow seems to be present everywhere as a sort of scraping noise devil. And yet even here, his restraint is remarkable.

By Hellmut Neidhardt

Homepage: Boris
Homepage: Merzbow
Homepage: Daymare Recordings