Dropping this first week of 2022 there is a wonderful Idlefon remix video of a track by Temp-Illusion called “Two Lands,” originally released on the Pend album. Exploring the American divided society, whether by race, politics, affluence, poverty or any number of its divisions.
Exploring the American divided society
So when I was offered the opportunity to write a review for Idlefon’s COLDSTREAM (n5MD, 2021), I didn’t know yet that a few weeks later there was going to be another Idlefon related piece of news we could mention. Dropping this first week of 2022 there is a wonderful Idlefon remix video of a track by Temp-Illusion called “Two Lands,” originally released on the Pend album.
The video itself visually looks to be made up from footage from someone at one or more protests—black and white with stylized graininess. I think the choice to go monochrome here only adds to the idea behind the track of “Two Lands,” and perhaps two colors, or more importantly division. I feel like I am back at a live performance at the now defunct Maschinenfest festival in Oberhausen, Germany. This is just the vibe which would fit right in there.
Given the Martin Luther King quote and samples, I assume the protest shots are from the Black Live Matter protests after the sad death of George Floyd at the hands and knees of American police. Video credits go to Amir B. Ash and really captures the sense of chaos, violence, and oppressive behavior.
The effects and fades are beautifully synchronized with the music and rhythms. It’s like protest video meets a computer visualizer like in Winamp! I always had a soft spot for those sound driven visualizers. Who remembers the old DOS program Cthugha? Ah the 90’s, or as millennials refer to it as “the late 1900’s.”
“Two Lands,” I take it, explores the American divided society, whether by race, politics, affluence, poverty or any number of its divisions. This concept can of course be extended to pretty much any social construct or country. There are always those that want to be above others. I am not going to get all political here, but the video and music tells the story for itself. I highly recommend watching this. The video serves also as a promo for an album of reworks of tracks from the 2020 release Pend on Zabte Sote label, which had a cassette release with Opal Tapes.
More noise, but not less musical ::
Temp-Illusion sounds louder than Idelfon and more aggressive, more noise, but not less musical. The rhythms are more experimental, harsher. If you like more rhythmic noise and power electronics sounds then Temp-Illusion might be more your thing. The Pend album wouldn’t sound out of place on Hands Productions label.
Delving a bit deeper into the Pend Reworks compilation album, we get treated to a more diverse set of remixes, and lots of new artist names to explore. There is a great variety of challenging remixes in here. The core sounds of Temp-Illusion come through clear in the tracks. But the mood and tone overall shifts in line with the style of the re-mixer. The Idlefon remix brings his particular style of arrangement to the Pend sound. Creating a brilliant combination of sounds and styles.
A highly recommended video, as well as the Pend albums, both available on cassette and digital.
Pend is available on Zabte Sote. [Bandcamp]
