It's been a while since I last wrote, but this blog is not dead and I'm back with another review, this time it's a CDR compilation on Gold Soundz. The label celebrates 10 years, and the catalog has now reached GS#99, so that the compilation includes 99 tracks is probably not such a big surprise.
This idea has been used before, so I wouldn't say the concept came as a shock, but what actually did surprise me was the solid tracklisting Mr. Bjerga (label-father) had managed to put together. With this much variation and strange tunes put onto one disc it's important with a tracklist that works. How much time that has actually been put into the final order I have no idea of, but at least it sounds like it's well planned. I expected much more lo-fi, trash, grind/noise-core, scummyness and weird shit on this disc, but it's much more a fine collage than punch-in-the-face music. Each track works well with the next and the contrast between the tracks makes it easy to hear when the next track comes on, but what I noticed quite early was how it also worked as a whole. It's kinda like a cut-up mantra- Absolutely not pretentious in any way, but high standard all the way through, with stuff like Pål Asle Pettersen's noise concrete, NXP's glitchy and catchy loops, Cock E.S.P.'s 5 seconds noise jams, Bjerga/Iversen's noise-drones and Torstein Wjiik (better known as Kjetil Hanssen aka the guy who writes these reviews) with his half funny, full trashed lo-fi junk.
So why chose to go for this compilation? There are so many compilations out there and so many good tracklists, and as mentioned already, this idea isn't new, but what this compilation has that most other compilations doesn't, it's got the feeling of working as a whole, even with it's variations. I found it all to be very enjoyable, never gets boring, and if you pay attention to each single track you'll find some hidden gems that's truely worth the money. 99 copies only.
