steering clear of the mainstream
since 2001

june 2010

review
blankred.jpg (4669 bytes)
blankred.jpg (4669 bytes)
blankred.jpg (4669 bytes)
blankred.jpg (4669 bytes)
info opinion
 

The Insect Explosion

"Treatise on Human Nature" CDR

Frequent Sea

Genre: no-wave

London, England

November 2009

Treatise on Human Nature is either an appalling or somewhat cleverly ironic name for an album, but this is otherwise a decent instrumental no-wave effort from London, England's Rick Jensen, a.k.a. the evocatively-named Insect Explosion. Critical to appreciating this release is realizing that it isn't more than it is. These thirteen songs rain down in a torrent of blocky drum beats, feedback-heavy guitar swirls, and rugged synths. The pacing is drudging, the mood distinctly apocalyptic - to take it in is to absorb a soundscape of chaos and energy. Dissonance and discordance rear their head more often than not, as on barrelling opener "When the World Has Gone Cold" and industrial "Head Cleaner." Among the more memorable moments - which are somewhat hard to find as this album is somewhat homogeneous - are evil "The Shape of Your Skull" and urgent moment-of-brilliance "The Bionic Eye". Without question, Treatise must be played loud to be truly enjoyed. It is, at times, swell in its vicious/viscous noisiness; however, after the first twenty minutes one is left craving a lot more complexity and variety from this overly long affair.

the insect explosion's myspace

Matt Shimmer

[Vitals: 13 tracks, distributed by the label, released 2009]