The moment I started researching for this particular review it hit me: I am covering a cassette tape release. And with only 39 copies available to the world, a very limited cassette tape release it is. It is from a label that presses only cassette tapes. This specialty underground label is Colloquial Sound Recordings and the release in question is the new split between A Pregnant Light and Deeper Wells.
The idea of dealing tapes in the digital age is a bit strange. It is old technology and has a much shorter shelf life than a CD or an LP. But it is also a very cool technology. Archaic, yes, but nostalgic at the same time. People seem to like them. Tape trading is how I found a lot of new music myself (back in the day). It has its place in music’s subculture.
Side A:
Michigan’s A Pregnant Light was formed in 2010 by multi-iinstrumentalist and vocalist, Deathless Maranatha. He alone is responsible for nine releases in a little over two years. Quite prolific for one solitary guy. Everything he has released so far has fallen under the blanket category of Black Metal, but that is selling it short. A Pregnant Light touches on many genres. “Glint, Glimmer and Glow” sounds like an indie rock song for the first minute, then veers into heavier territory. The music is very raw, reminiscent of DIY punk or hardcore. Sloppy good. Intense. And short. “The Heavens Alone In Love” basically has two parts with a lovely intermission between. The vocals sound distant. Odd and angular guitar licks sit in the mix with blast beats. It’s fast, and slow. Long. A Pregnant Light Is trying new things. I think that’s what most matters here. Solid.
Side B:
Healing from Illinois, Deeper Wells like to tinker with drone, feedback and noise. Granted, this is all I’ve ever heard of them. “Untitled” doesn’t play as a song, per se. It is mostly squeals and skwonks and swirling, trippy feedback loops. Though it is listed as an instrumental, I swear I hear voices near the end. It is a nice finish to the tape. It basically helps to decompress from the two A Pregnant Light tracks. Well done.
All in all, a nice little nostalgic trip to noise Hell and back. Looking forward to the next release from Colloquial Sound Recordings. In the meantime, let me just rewind this tape for you.
JH Statts
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