Two searing bursts of supremely gnarled energy from Masami Akita on a crucial new 45 for iDEAL.

Short-form Merzbow hits like no other Merzbow, unloading a level of intensity that’s harder to sustain in long form. Active since the 80’s and with literally hundreds of releases to his name, Akita has taken a fisheye view of his own work for the last couple of decades, straddling his analogue and digital epochs and scattering sheet noise with instruments, found objects and pedals. 'Pendulum' captures a recent session, recorded in early 2024, around the same time as that essential four-disc collaboration with John Wiese, 'Akashaplexia’.

Split into two five minute sides, 'Pendulum' loops tape damaged industrial works to form a ratcheting, disoriented rhythm that’s torched with blaring feedback and static interference that constantly builds and destroys itself. It’s a visceral sensation, a bit like sticking your hand in a flame for as long as you can bear it, or watching a sequence of concurrent explosions from a death-defying vantage point. In other words, quite obviously built to soundtrack the new year. Cheers!

Trackliste

A1 Pendulum
B1 Pendulum