The Answer Is In The Beat

Instagon: Thee Start Ov Thee End (Placenta Recordings, 2013)

December 15, 2013 at 7:49 pm | Posted in Reviews | Leave a comment

Instagon is a long-running improv ensemble founded by members of Thee Temple of Psychick Youth North America. They’ve recorded over 600 sessions, none with the same lineup. LOB is the only constant member (he also records as Jolt Cola-themed noise act Jolthrower, and is in +DOG+). This is crudely recorded jammy improv, with plenty of sparse bass guitar lines, theremin and other whistling oscillations, and some freakout/free-jazz/free-rock elements. “Just A Trim” spirals around a mystical bassline and some background didgeridoo, and otherwise inhabits a very open (but dark) space. “Bearded Lady With Elongated Vocal Cords Telling Too Many Stories” is a 17 minute space-out, then “Disodence” is a short spazzy noise-rock burst. “Under the Stairs” is 2 minutes of meandering bass guitar and echoey theremin, with some guitar and drums in the backgrounds, and it fades out abruptly. “Below Zero” develops a thumping bassline (almost starts to sound like a cover of “Radar Love”) and has some drums and guitar backing it up, but otherwise seems to just be a showcase for that bassline. “Funeral For a Droid” is another long jam (9 minutes) which is less rhythmic, getting more noisy and blustery with sheets of feedback and distortion, and also some more theremin. “Lost In Outland” starts with guitar plucking and develops into a free jazz jam with drums and sax and bass guitar, and a thick cloud of rumbling fog, and more theremin. “Sonic Vacuum” (a good description of how this album sounds) is a slow pounding groove with horns, almost sort of like a free-jazz version of an early Swans song but not quite as tight or hard-hitting, there’s more space and it’s more unhinged. “Thee Start Ov Thee End” is a more uptempo, almost swinging groove, with plenty of fusion-y organ. The whole album definitely sounds like basement recording sessions recorded by a single distant microphone (that’s usually close to the bass guitar amp), so don’t expect balanced, proffesionally mixed-down sound quality.