Rather than resolving its strange machinery, Noxi Melank leaves it in motion—a collection of damaged systems, unstable rhythms, and modular forms continually finding new ways to become something else.
Blurry to the senses, roughened around the edges
One of our favorite crafters of modular abstraction, glitch, and electronic noise, Ignatius (Buried In Time) makes a striking debut with Noxi Melank for Evel. Across eight pieces, sound worlds are explored, eroded, fragmented, and reshaped from start to finish.
A surreal, broken rhythmic transition opens the nearly 10-minute opus “IdleDeep,” where blips, bleeps, echoes, scattered voices, and subdued electronic residue flicker beneath a slippery surface of decay. “GenderLimo” picks up the pace, remaining subtle, melankolic, and abstract as drifting, crumpled tones and drones take shape. Its sounds feel almost timeless, like abandoned and dented machines searching for somewhere to restart, mutate, and build unfamiliar worlds.
As Ignatius’ glitch language unfolds piece by piece, each movement is marked by an unusually astute clarity within the noise. “Editorial,” for instance, reveals itself through Autechre meets Syl Kougaï-infused rhythmic deformation and energy, where modular structures seem to buckle, reconfigure, and find new momentum. While low-end rattling soundscapes provide a constant benchmark for Noxi Melank, Ignatius finds particular comfort in unusual time signatures—blurry to the senses, roughened around the edges, yet always moving forward with the precision of a practiced sound sculptor.
Translucent structures of decay and erosion ::
As the album persists, its tracks remain connected through an elusive, surreal logic. “Nonsequitirs” and “Locations” are especially revealing, unfolding as downtempo, almost translucent electroacoustic structures of decay and erosion. Dark passages maneuver through electronic debris, allowing fragments of rhythm and texture to surface before disappearing again.
Closing with “SloxiEnds,” Ignatius shifts toward a more upbeat final chapter. Its Tri Repetae-like abstraction carries an unexpected sense of beauty, gradually transforming through layers of modular distortion—something the cover art depicts with uncanny precision—before arriving at an almost Eastern-sounding flourish. Rather than resolving its strange machinery, Noxi Melank leaves it in motion—a collection of damaged systems, unstable rhythms, and modular forms continually finding new ways to become something else.
Noxi Melank is available on Evel. [Bandcamp]
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