Liles / Maniac – Darkening Ligne Claire

Archaeological

Notoriously diverse sound artist Andrew Liles first met ex-Mayhem vocalist Sven Kristiansen (AKA Maniac) at the 2008 Roadburn Festival and was later invited to join the latter’s group Sehnsucht. A desire to continue performing together saw the pair reconvene at various points up to this current point, when they decided to lay down this remarkably subtle yet faintly disturbing album. I say subtle, because when you consider the separate histories of the two members, this could have been a catharsis of noise — but it is far cleverer, far quieter and for those reasons works incredibly well as a whole body of work.

I have no idea what instruments are being used here, but each of the exactly seven-minute tracks opens with Kristiansen intoning the title in a muted growl, and from there often that vocal is taken and diced up, chopped up, slowed down, played backward and generally messed with. But the vocals don’t cover the whole of each track and because of this, when they are used, the effect is far greater. The electronics that make up the rest of the texture of the tracks are injected with plenty of space, and that gives opportunity to relish the sounds chosen to accompany the twisted vocals.

https://vimeo.com/314068020

Opener “Emperor” hovers in front of you like something searching in the dark for your breathing, the scorches and glass-like sounds that conjoin are subtle and sinister, like things appearing from nowhere; they might be on the hunt for you, but are more intrigued by what you are than to have any harmful intentions. They move with speed and guile that keeps you watchful and vanish in clouds of vapour. The word “Enthroned” bounces like a pinball all around the soundscape of the next track. As unlikely as it might sound, it is like some metallic beat-box or a robotic argument over the correct pronunciation or enunciation of the word. It fires around your head in a way that is to quick to follow. This continues into “Flagellation Dei”, but here things are more guttural. There is a rhythm somewhere within and with the faint chanting, it evokes a shrouded chamber with a huge vaulted ceiling that holds and derives power from the sparse sounds floating ever upwards. There are figures lurking in the shadows that seem to drift slowly from view like a slowly receding tide.

A constant gnawing, searching bass filled with unnerving energy fills “Noctuary”, a bed of tingling drones building to light peaks, the voice is reversed and has that constant ill-ease that accompanied the little man in Twin Peaks. They turn into wolf voices from the bowels on “Slaughter Messiah” and sound as if they are trying to escape from a gravitational pull. I was desperately attempting to decipher at least one word that would enable me to decode what must be a critical message. The words sound sharp, like actual physical matter being drawn from the throat. The penultimate track “Soulburn” is much more overbearing than what has come so far, but actually sounds fun — like two people having a metallic beat-box off with the insistence that comes from everything made of searing white metal. The final track is a rather soothing and open ended, the amorphous growling taking place over a spacey drone amid layers of metallic dust.

I have to say, I was surprised at this collaboration and surprised in a good way. It doesn’t try to tear your throat out, but leaves you with an intriguing aftertaste that is actually a desire for more. The guttural sounds and impressionistic soundscapes are as close to lullabies as these guys are likely to go, but I still wouldn’t play them to your children — unless you’re not that keen on them. I look forward to more of this in the future, but for now, another spin is definitely in order.

-Mr Olivetti-