Mindvoid were formed during the second half of last decade in Kharkov, Ukraine, and they did some releases before via quite cool labels such as Kadaath, Cvlminis and Nihil Art. This newest piece, called Thundernoisespell, gets released via Russia’s Frozen Light, which actually is one of the most surprising labels from that country I came along recently. But let’s focus on Mindvoid.
Actually, Thundernoisespell consists of four new pieces, added by three live tracks and older compositions taken from 2013’s Chi L’ha Vista Morire (indeed named after the movie). This compilation comes / came in an edition of 500 hand-numbered copies, and in its totality this album lasts for fifty five minutes.
The four new compositions were recorded in between October 2013 and January 2014. The journey starts with the title track (clocking more than eight minutes), which combines sounds of Space-Noise with mostly bizarre elements, like a spoken sample (in Russian, so don’t ask me what all this is about). Then guitars and noise-electronics join in, and the ‘song’ continues in a mostly psychedelic trend. This weird and frenzy mixture of soundscapes and soundwaves, noises and sonic terror looks quite chaotic at first, but it surely is meant to be this way. The industrialised destructivism brings an almost refreshing ‘flair’ over the current Noise / Power Electronics scene. Next piece, Stoned Effect, and so are the other tracks, goes on in the very same vein, mingling samples (once again with vocal sampling), elements from Death Industrial, Minimal Noise and Power Electronics, and quite some unusual effects (like a quasi-oriental melody, space-prog effects, darkened drones etc.). As a matter of fact, all four creations sound like a renewed approach on an underestimated scene, without lacking intrinsic conviction and experimental craftsmanship. The first time I listened to this stuff, I thought it was somewhat exaggerated, yet actually it’s filled with depth and creativity.
The three live tracks were recorded in April 2013, and they come with a minor sound quality. Especially the background sounds (the public) do bother me. But the ‘Music’ (haha, what’s in a word) speaks for itself. Great how anti-organically it seems to be to combine labyrinthine intricacy at the one hand, and minimal simplicity at the other. For studio work this might be rather natural, yet in a live setting it might not be that evident. Okay, most stuff had been programmed for sure, yet still it does create an atmosphere of discomfort and, at the same time, enlightenment.
Next come the pieces that were initially and previously released on the very limited CDr Chi L’ha Vista Morire (initial release: 30 copies via Human Cross Records in 2012), and indeed most pieces are inspired by the so-called motion pictures – three of them do contain sampling material from those movies. This EP is less chaotic at the one hand, and much more obscure in atmosphere. In contradiction to the new material, it’s mainly based on electronic devices rather than the harsh and minimal side of the Noise-current. But for sure this material is a mostly weird expression of experimentalism and self-relativation, craftsmanship and creativity. Once in a while there are even subtle hints of Dark Ambient, and who am I to dislike such grandeur?... Post-Industrial avant la lettre…