Blanck Mass - s/t

The sonic landscape ruled by Fuck Buttons is a realm of harsh frequencies and lavish bodies of sound. Their venture into the electronic genre has proven to be one of the more innovative statements made for avant-garde enthusiasts. Sophomore LP Tarot Sport strayed from the obscure improvisation found on Street Horrrsing to an organized, almost post-rockish sound that built upon it's frequent loops until they eventually celebrated into furious crescendos. What Tarot Sport became wasn't so much experimental sound, but rather a look at orchestraic movements of the 24th century.

With Blanck Mass, John Power (exactly 1/2 of Fuck Buttons) detonates a nuke on Tarot Sport's expansive, developmental epics. The result is a sprawling work that incorporates Fuck Buttons' well documented use of looping samples along with their improvisational roots. At moments, it's raucously pleasant. Album standout "Land Disasters" buzzes like it's in the midst of a cartoonish hornet invasion while concurrently evolving in the background. It's marquee synth, oh so prevalent in Fuck Buttons lore, flutters throughout the mix, somehow giving the song an even greater apocalyptic feel.

It's a lot to digest -- and yes, I understand that most drone albums tend to fall under the categories of "growers" -- however Blanck Mass wastes no opportunity in wrapping itself around your head with it's raptured swirls and spontaneous revelry. Over time the rolling hills that make up it's emotional stature peak with walls of noise and even out during brief periods of rest. "Chernobyl" softly churns over in comparison to the cacophonous track in "Sundowner" that precedes it, but the contrast between the two songs displays the obvious evolution in sound that makes this album great. By the time you recover, you'll realize that you've already traveled this dimensionless world inhabited by Blanck Mass, and you're only option will be putting the CD back in and traveling once more.

4/5

Recommended Tracks: "Land Disasters", "Chernobyl", "Fuckers", "Sub Serious"