Ah Cama-Sotz

frames.sotz.v2
ah cama-sotz & frames a second
spectre EPCD cat. E07.1. 2001. belgium.
3″ cd limited edition. comes with limited “disorientation box”
released in: 2001
format: 3″ cd
split collaboration (only 3″cd) between frames a second and ah cama-sotz
special edition: 333 copies. comes with ” disorientation box ”
(cd and 3″cd) limited edition box

v2.1 frames [disorder]
v2.2 sotz [tempore brumali]
v2.3 frames [terra]
v2.4 sotz [labyrinth]

review

frames.sotz.v2 [review by seven]

this boxset contains a full-length by frames a second (“disoriented express”) and a little 3″ with four tracks, appropriately titled “frames.sotz.v2”. this is a second full-length cd after “nature in reverse” on daft records.

“disoriented xpress” greets you with a thick layered wall of sound; its cold percussion drones would remind you of industrial harshness of early ah cama-sotz; rhythmic pulses are dipped into modulated frequencies and cold atmospheric sweeps and strings. the album has a haunting. mesmerizing feel, fortunately keeping its strong original sound, combining dark corroded ambience with slowly pulsating heavy industrial.

“disoriented express” has all those elements I have been looking for in the genre – a perfect combination of layered abrasive ambience and slowly building heavy percussion – none of these shallow hyper rhythms geared solely towards the dancefloor. this album might not use currently popular drum&bass or glitch elements, but it resurrects the eerie, aggressive atmosphere (that really benefits from clean production).

3″ with ah cama-sotz is a lot more aggressive, compared to their previous collaboration (“ankh/deceptive rate” split). herman presents “tempore brumali” and “labyrinth”; both are “cleaner” and more percussion-oriented than frames’, with added tribal feel. “disorder” and “terra” by frames a second balance ah cama-sotz with waves of processed electronics shaped by comparatively slower percussion.

altogether this is a great release that any fan of rhythmic noise or dark ambient should not overlook. I hope that spectre is a big enough label at this point to ensure that this album will get the recognition it deserves.

submitted by anton on 12-Feb-2002