A shape-shifting behemoth of sonic artillery where all manner of broken beats, electro sludge, and disjointed hip-hop meld with bass thuds from another world.
A shape-shifting behemoth of sonic artillery
March 2021 saw the release of this mini album by Aelk Minsur—Tar being a shape-shifting behemoth of sonic artillery where all manner of broken beats, electro sludge, and disjointed hip-hop meld with bass thuds from another world. Flickering through radio channels in an abandoned echo chamber, tracks like “South Prime Sines” emit claustrophobic Scorn-like low-end transmissions that contort into monstrous soundscapes. Familiar terrain is unfolded on “Drugged Out Ginnix” where deformed tones and drones drift into pulsing bass blips. And it looks like the Phoenix-based artist has only just begun to show us what’s in store.
Aelk Minsur also delves into off-kilter darker drones (“01062001”) as “ICAAS” exhibits rumbling glitchy noises in a mere 31 seconds—where did that come from? If we were to douse old-school Einóma recordings through the mud, you might find pieces like “Eni Fabrik” take shape—albeit with a crusty outer shell. There are a couple of remixes closing off this aptly titled release as “MC60 Capo (Applied Robotics Amendment)” oozes with found sounds, samples, and a mangled jungle mashup that fans of early Gescom will devour. Closing with “Drugged Out Ginnix (Simon Grab Remix),” it is easy to see that Aelk Minsur finds comfort in uncomfortable sound structures where eerie noises, detuned melodies, and shattered beats are exposed to their core—Simon Grab pulls it all together. As noted, fans of Scorn, Einóma, and Gescom should take notice.
And if you haven’t already discovered, have a listen to Aelk Minsur’s August 2021 3-track EP—A Delicate Balance of Chemicals—further expanding on the artists’ adept gravitational and exploratory glitch strands smoldering in the ether.
Tar is available on Bandcamp.
