I love this EP, but I don't listen to it anywhere near as much as I should. The main problem is I seem to get a form of musical ADHD whenever I sit down to listen to stuff, unable to listen to a whole album or even an EP. So I just put my iPod on shuffle and let waves of randomness wash over my barely conscious entity.
Anywho, this is the first release from Jesu, the new and rather amazing project of former Napalm Death, Godflesh and Head of David musical genius, Justin Broadrick.
Where Godflesh ended musically, Jesu pick up the baton and run with it into new, sparse, desolate and unimagined landscapes. Over the course of Jesu's discography, Broadrick dabbles with Industrial noise, Ambient, Techno, Post-Rock, Post-Metal, shoegaze, drone and anything else he chooses fit.
The first release from the project, the two track 2004 EP entitled Heart Ache, is Jesu in prime ambient drone territory. Despite only being two tracks long the release does clock in at just over 40 minutes, and you feel every one of them. If you were to put this EP on in the background whilst you busied yourself with other tasks you might hardly notice it all, simply having waves of guitar wash over you. If, however, you actually sit down and listen to it (as you should with all music) then you'll experience waves, nuances, twists and turns that reward the patient listener. This release is still drone in nature, though, so don't expect riffs or to be constantly kept on tenter-hooks throughout, because that's not what this beast is. Also, unlike later releases, the vocals take a back seat here, in favour of the hypnotically droning guitars and punishing drums.
It's hard to big this release up enough, so just do yourself a favour; download it and give it a try. What have you got to lose?
Jesu Christ
yo!
ReplyDeleteHey, how's it hanging?
ReplyDelete