Erode

Perhaps one of the few things more likely to generate curiosity than a new noise act on the Ant-Zen label is a collaboration of three established noise artists. Erode is that mix, and the result is as unexpected as seeing the names of these artists share the cover. The touch of each of Converter, Asche, and Morgenstern is visible on Erode. "Grey Formicular" begins the work on a relatively elegant note, with the patterned distortion and looped samples over field recordings. This quickly gives in to the craze of heavier rhythms on "In Hell" and "Monster" (the latter and its reprisal, "Another Monster," are nothing short of dance beat frenzies and come close to rivaling the energy levels of the classic "Tentack One"). There is more to these artists than the dancefloor, however, and tracks such as "Impiety" and "Loss" take the opposite extreme, layering ambient noise upon itself to create compelling, and at times delicate, textures. Erode has depth as well. On occasion, it seems that the interplay among artists is visible — Morgenstern's textures seem to pulse below Asche's ambience, or Converter's loops feel augmented by an alien input. At other times, Erode feels like each artist contributed a few complete tracks. The result is not a predictable release, and on the whole Erode is more than a sum of parts. Each track is engaging on its own terms, and Erode is a solid collection from this trio.