IMF – The Realness

Bandcamp

Ian M Fraser: computer

Reading “no conceptual bullshit, no MIDI” to introduce a computer-generated release, then realizing that the man behind the acronym hails from Philadelphia, home of the nearly-namesake (and equally bellicose) Smokin’ Joe Frazier, means that attention is warranted. Deservedly, I’d say. Released in an ultra-limited cassette edition and lasting just 20 minutes (perfect), this is a fine model of agile noise music created through systems where the human constituent is practically introuvable. Unsentimental as a morbid sawbones, the sounds produced by IMF’s laptop are mostly of the trenchantly abradant / membrane-splitting-and-earwax-sandblasting species, with little droning undercurrents occasionally pointing the frequency lava to slightly steadier (ha!) itineraries. In the rare moments of existent “quietness” we’re subjected to thin overtones which still seems to prelude to other barrages; exactly what happens later on. Towards the end of the tape, a completely silent segment lasts for a while. Supposedly, no one will be so stupid to raise the volume level to be pulverized shortly thereafter.