Saturday, September 14, 2019

Mildew - Flat On The Face / +

Original '98 cover
So after Israeli group 3H split up, both drummer David Oppenheim and bass player Reem Hareuveny moved to new york, forming there short living trio called One Two Four Nine (nice alt. rock, I'll post their album somewhen), than, same year (1995), going even further, towards much more extreme and experimental realms, acting as the semi-active to this day, menacing metallic noise duo Barbara.
In 1997 David's solo project Mildew, Ovesh in Hebrew, released it's first cassette [if you have it, please share]. Mildew was his first shift towards electronics (at least recorded, as far as I know), using samples, keys, computer and triggers.
After a few Barbara demos, Reem had to come back to Israel in 1998, due to personal problems, leaving David alone, to concentrate on Mildew. Flat On The Face is the only full length, recorded straight after Reem left, and it is one of his finest creations in my opinion (and let the record show that I truly admire a lot of his stuff, and he has released a vast variety).
Musically I always get an image of the Scorpion VS Johnny Cage fight, while trippin badly on a large dose of ketamine, and that Fear Factory remix in the background getting a minimal remix by Duran Duran Duran having a program crash. A Y2K version of Chu Ishikawa's Tetsuo OST. Or as his own legendary label Heart And Crossbone states "super slow, dark & repetitive electronics, drum machine gone out-of-control, a digitized binhexed godflesh floating in cyber-outer-space".
This was self released as an "interactive piece" with an external controller, I'm uncertain about the meaning of this, since I own only the 2005 repackaged re-release. But there it is on bandcamp, enjoy.



An interview with David a bit after, but same era, if you're willing to know more about
Bonus track for fans, unreleased - Shir HaShiryem (I think it was recorded after the album, but not quite sure)
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boy man machine
Now for the plus meaning - just paying your attention to a new release coming up next month, Drose - boy man machine +
Those agonizing long "end of the year" list I've written on this humble blog, are filled with great albums, but to be honest, only a few truly lasts with me afterward. 2016's Drose is still a one I come back to, that's why I give it's upcoming exciting re-release this very special honor.
Cmptr Stdnts, what seems to be like a promising label (responsible for last year's Big'n EP), are in charge for giving boy man machine a new life, both again on vinyl and more important, first time on CD, with bonus songs and a very thoughtful design.
Do I need to write again about the brilliant dissonance between the soulful emotional vocals to doomish industro music on this one, harmonized together in a wonderful biomechanical album ? I think not..
Do yourselves a favor and pre-order it here