reflections of darkness e-zine
IT-CLINGS is a true phenomenon in the electronic music genre; not a musician himself, but a master of words. Throughout his career, he contributed tracks to various releases from many different artists. I discovered him through the title ‘What is the Moment of Truth’ on the FRACTURED album ‘Only Human Remains’. He has worked before with PNEUMATIC DETACH aka Justin Brink, this time they joined forces for a very unique collaboration…
At the beginning there’s a warning: “These texts contain the raving confessions of necessary evil. What you are about to hear is unpleasant, and unsavoury, these deeds and thoughts come from what people call a degenerate mind, a mind that is twisted and full of filth and rage.” And I strongly advise you to not take this too lightly, some of those texts contain extremely violent acts. After the warning in the first track we now turn to the “Important Stuff” and I think he’s right, because the only thing that people seem to care about is the next flash, a kick to inject some life into their existence and all the other things can go to hell and couldn’t be less important. The next two tracks i.e. ‘I get ready to sleep…’ and ‘Fantastic Ass’ are showing the true face of today’s society; on one hand the absolute zero progression, people live their lives like drones, go to work, get distracted by the TV, but they don’t see the mediocrity, sometimes the will to change flares up, however, in the end everything stays the same; the other side is the unbelievable surface thinking nowadays, most people don’t want to take a look behind the mask, because it’s easier to not know the abysms that might lurk behind the eyes.
With ‘Public Space’ a disturbing process begins. Slowly, very slowly the horror in the world of thoughts of the protagonist gets revealed, he’s starting to think about hurting others and during ‘Maybe these wounds won’t heal anymore’ he actually starts to hurt himself to the edge of total insanity. Or are these just twisted, psychotic metaphors for things that would appear all to logic if we get to see beyond the brutality of the words and the detailed explanation of violent acts with ‘Spoons’ which you’ll see in a different light after the same-titled track. With every following track, we descend deeper into the darkness. The horror is sensible; it crawls inside your head. At this point in time a conscience barely exists anymore “Maybe I’ve done something bad. But these feelings will pass, always have, and always will.”
And even though this might be a scaring fact, these words just sound like what a corrupt politician would say, after pushing through another law for his own benefit; no matter what consequences there might be for other people. ‘Is it wrong for me to hate her’ for me symbolizes the breaking of the last anchor; the only thing that prevents him from doing what he thinks he’s supposed to be doing and comes to the conclusion that it’s all a total waste of time. The ‘end’ leaves us with a disturbing feeling of unease. A point I disregarded a bit is the music. This is because I think it’s only purpose on this release is to accentuate, to enforce the words and by that giving it kind of a sonic extension. It’s by no means simple or likeable but the main focus is placed on IT-CLINGS’ words here.
I’d like to pick up a question I threw in before for a conclusion. Are these really the thought s of a twisted and degenerate mind or does he just see the world for what it really is? Find the answer for yourself by listening to this unique release very closely. It’s a very intense experience to listen to this album, where words aren’t just words but like a brutal slap in your face.
Rating
Music: 9
Sound: 9
Total: 9
reviewer: - Sebastian Huhn
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pan-o-ra-ma
An effusive generator of dark disturbing music has become a reality through this collaborative release between it-clings and pneumatic detach. With a total of 14 tracks through 50 minutes, The All Too Logical Descent Into Madness utilizes well-executed rhythmic electronic compositions, displaying an artistic expression of a high caliber. Each track has a characteristic identity floating in the well-processed sounds, effects, and vocals, the psychotic vociferation generating a machine of murder, schizophrenia and depravity. Each lyric is an exploration of the hidden, dark nature of the human mind and will surely have an effect on your senses. The drumming processed beats seem to cut into your brain, complementing this psychic surgery in which bipolarity and neurotic realities collapse again; again bringing you to another reality far away from the standards; a reality based on your own bizarre, perverted vision through sounds!
reviewer: - edgar kerval
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chain d.l.k.
Behind this “band” moniker hides a mutual collaboration between the US-based Powernoise artist PNEUMATIC DETACH and the Canadian spoken-word artist IT-CLINGS. Regarding the chosen title, well, take it seriously and be assured that this turns into a quite different form of Industrial music you haven’t discovered so far. There are on one side the hammering and pounding Powernoise efforts of Justin Brink, which itself are always a welcomed and appreciated listening experience, as his releases on the defunct Frozen Empire Media and Hive Records are sold-out. But for this release his efforts have to take the backseat of the cadillac, because the clear spoken-word performance of Mr. IT-CLINGS has to take the spotlight of attention here. As most of our readers also I have discovered his hypnotic voice on the last FRACTURED album “Only Human Remains” for the first time. On that album it wasn’t expectable how far and in which direction his words would tend. After checking this album multiple times with the required attention to follow the printed lyrics, I can assure that words can mutate to a weapon. Seriously, if you’re already impressed with that sort Hellectro bands wearing fake blood and offering their repetitive lyrics influenced by Gore/Splatter movies, then you should check this clear and natural hurting performance by IT-CLINGS. After the first 3 – 4 tracks I was expecting that the ongoing tracks would offer the often heard content of “how evil humanity is” or “how much this all disgusts me”. Well, lately with track 5 the lyrics turn more and more in schizophrenia describing someone with serious mental disorders. Track 6, to me one of the most remarkable pieces on here, describes drastically self-infliction (“Maybe These Wounds Won’t Heal Anymore”) and also Mr. IT-CLINGS’ words and his performance turning into a hurting experience – it sounds really that he feels with the actor – maybe he IS the actor? Also recognizable here and there is a form of sadistic vein. There’s the track “Spoons” for instance. Do you know what spoons can do? Well, let’s take a quotation out of the lyrics: “...I press you up against a hard surface, a brick wall, and then I drive the spoon hard against the tightened meat and feel it cut into you, feel it digging into the wall behind. I roll it back and forth, back and forth over your skin. I dreamt of scooping your innards into my mouth, just having them sit there in my open mouth, not swallowing this disgusting muck,...”. No stuff for the faint-hearted of the audience for sure and I guess there’s no need to dwell deeper into this. The combination of rhythmically Powernoise and spoken-word action can be surely seen as a new form of two different kinds, which on a first look won’t fit together. Quite “entertaining” to consume, purchase it and you’ll get something special.
reviewer: -[Marc Tater] jan 2008
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wounds of the earth e-zine
The All Too Logical Descent Into Madness is one of the more remarkable albums I have heard this year. Amongst a sea of insipid terror ebm and mindless power noise releases, this album cannot help but stand out. To summarize, The All Too Logical Descent Into Madness is the coalescence of the spoken word of It-Clings put to the rhythmic noise beats of Pneumatic Detach. I’m sure that at this point you have already surmised that this will probably be a love/hate album for most…
I’m going to come straight out and say that I love this album. It’s an interesting and possibly necessary step for industrial/post-industrial. I hate that industrial has continuously become dumbed and watered down over the years, and I’ve been waiting for an album like this for a long time. The beats are pretty standard hard yet dynamic PD. Most of the songs are pretty upbeat and noisey, which I found to be strange because I imagined the album would be a bunch of mellow stuff like Autoclav 1.1’s “Miags”. It’s not and it’s kind of nice (it helps to purvey the anger permeating these 14 pieces). The beats and the words don’t seem to clash at all. They both stand alone, yet they also mesh together in certain unseen ways to produce something greater than the sum of the individual parts. The beats are to some extent simple and straight-forward without a ton of complexity or variation, but it is acceptable because the words and the lyrical content are the main focus of this album (something completely alien to contemporary industrial). This isn’t to say that the beats aren’t good or original or whatever. The beats are cool and they fit with the vocals and on a few occasions there are even some catchy melodies.
The main part of the album as I briefly mentioned is the verbal ranting of It-Clings. Spoken word is not for everyone, and I can definitely see a good bit of this album going over people’s heads or, more likely, people just not willing to take the time to actually listen and/or read the text. But oh well, fuck them. The rants in my opinion are good. They are very blunt and visceral depictions of life and the human condition, seething with sickness and disgust. They are full of emotion and conviction which is a large reason why this album works so well. It-Clings definitely rants from the heart, albeit a poisoned and blackened heart. The words have the power to tear open your skull and bash your brain in a hammer-like fashion, although they probably aren’t going to jump out of the tracks on their own. The listener has to put in some effort of their own in order to get the full effect of this album. The listener has to pay attention and focus on what is actually being said in order to understand and subsequently “get” what is going on here. The best part of the album and possibly what “makes” it is the fact that it chronicles It-Clings’s descent into madness. As the tracks progress so do the style and intensity of the vocals. The vocals twist and turn, become mangled and daemonic as the music progresses and the track count increases. It’s a sick and perhaps painful journey, but it is well worth it.
The only thing negative that I can really say about the album is that I can’t really listen to it from beginning to end. All the songs in themselves are good and worth listening to, but after 6 or 8 tracks I usually find myself saying “ok I’m ready for something else”.
The bottom line is that if you’re looking for something new from industrial music that requires you to turn your brain on and pay attention, then I highly recommend The All Too Logical Descent Into Madness. However, if you want something catchy and mindless that you can effectively zone out to, than I’d say avoid this.
reviewer: -[.d4n b4rr3tt.] october 2007
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ectomag.com
One of the goals of most artist is to get some sort of reaction out of people, to make them feel something through their words and music. Icvspd's album The All too Logical Decent into Madness, is definitely an album that will garner a reaction from all who hear it. This album is almost more like a performance piece than a series of songs. More spoken word laid over grinding abstract beats and sounds. As he speaks you gather images in your mind of a man sitting in a straight jacket ranting and bouncing off of the walls in Rats and Purpose, but its Necessary Evil, I Get Ready for sleep and Tomorrow I wake Up and Everything is the Same and How Terrible is it All, that are far more sinister. They aren't the ravings of the disturbed, they are the thoughts of the seemingly rational normal humans that surround us daily. Tired of the day in day out plastic of out existence, bored to death with the soulless surroundings that we find ourselves trapped in from day today. The words made even more powerful because these are thoughts so many of us may have had at one time or another when we're disillusioned with our jobs and relationships. Those moments where we feel we need something drastic and maybe even violent to get things moving again. Icvspd lays our darkest desires bare before us on this album. The All too Logical Decent into Madness will definitely get a reaction out of you. Weather it makes you recoil indisgust or drives you to make some sort of change in you existence this album is honest and intoxicating and you cant ignore it!
rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
reviewer: Administrator, 2007
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hefthip e-zine
This album depresses me, completely, on too many levels. I mean It-Clings just sounds so bitter and angry at the world. But you know the world is shitty and trying at best. Maybe he can solve all the problems of the world. But probably not, nor I think is that his ambition. But listening to the album it’s just word-core attack after word-core attack, a total assault on the listeners senses. With a dark ambient soundtrack in the back matching the lyrics. Sort of emphasizing the anger and resentment.
But don’t get me wrong here it’s not just a trying juvenile tirade, there is a deep sense of humour throughout it, dark humour, but humour none the less. I don’t know how seriously this is meant to be taken, or if that is the point that maybe it is meant to force the listener to stop and listen to take a moment to reflect, or perhaps just get pissed off and walk away. I think either reaction seems like a an appropriate response to this project. Or maybe its just purely meant to annoy, I have no idea.
But I think this man needs some serious help. We should lock him in a little box and poke him with sticks, I mean he keeps saying life is pointless and nothing means anything. That is a classic symptom of I don’t know what but I’m sure it’s some sort of mental depravity one that needs to be removed from society or else he might start having some effect on those around him and before long people might be dissatisfied then maybe they might want to change things and maybe they will go to Coffee Time instead of Tim Horton’s. Well then what happens, WHAT?
What if people started to question the supremacy of Timmie’s coffee, then before long people might sit up and go hey Starbucks’ coffee sucks too. You know what this would lead to? All out war in South America , yes it’s true. I mean the coffee companies will suffer if we all change then they will stop buying coffee and all hell will break loose. Wait, wait I’m starting to feel angry and threatened by the music. Now, what’s this, shit it’s too late I’m becoming one of them.
Stop reading! save yourself! save yourself! I can feel my brain subtly shifting, I just took a swig of Starbucks and it tasted vile, like dishwater, blah blah blah. Someone save me. Wait I don’t want to be saved, I’m going to strap dynamite to my body and do something. I don’t know what yet.. Ahhh..
reviewer: Matthew Rich, 2007
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heathen harvest e-zine
William Seward Buroughs was one of the first I suppose. He bunged out spoken worded recordings of his written work depicting his time as an honoured alumni of the junkie fraternity and his extreme obsessions. Which were many by the way. That’s the problem with writers. Most are fuck-ups in one way or another. Reviewers fall into this category as well come to think of it. Many other artists have followed in Mr Buroughs illustrious footsteps. Lydia Lunch…damaged goods in more ways than one, Jello Biafra…putting the dead into The Dead Kennedys. Henry Rollins…the muscle bound thug with brains. The list goes on. Of course some artists use the spoken word with accompanying music. Some make it an art form in itself. Who needs to sing when you can spew / yell forth your viewpoint on whatever happens to be bugging the shit out of you that day. The Extreme Electronic music fraternity have been doing this sort of stuff for years. William Bennett of Whitehouse being the eldest of elder statesman of the spoken rant and roll with accompanying visceral noise. Now though it’s time for a different take on the spoken word with musical backing. I give you…the spoken word with rampant blasting beats. Are you ready? I hope to fuck you are because this is one eye, or ear for that matter, opener.
The past: There’s this young guy. He’s called Squid. Not on his birth certificate obviously. His true identity remains a secret between close family and friends. Of which I’m neither. He finds he has a knack for making music. So he works within the Toronto, that’s a big fuck off city in Canada in case you didn’t know, music scene with some fairly well known Industrial bands. One day he takes the big step of starting his own Record label. He calls it Bugs Crawling Out Of People. Catchy but with a faintly disturbing aura. That was back in 2004...or thereabouts. Time means nothing. Unless you’re Dr Who of course. He releases the very good V/A - Revelation as a first release. This recording featured Nitrous Flesh, Iszoloscope, Scrap.Edx and Pneumatic Detach amongst others. Reviews were mixed. Aren’t they always? Squid then goes one step better and releases Dead Man's Hill - Lakes Of Sacrifice. A tasty recording when all said and done. Although Squid has contributed to other artists recordings in the past he has this urge to put his creative juices to better use. A seed is sown He needs an outlet for all the thoughts continually buzzing through his head. He needs a Robin to his Batman. He needs someone who can dig and go with his vision. Enter stage left Justin Brink. He of Pneumatic Detach. The seed takes root. What flowers no-one could have expected.
The present: The result of this combining of creative minds is the third release from Squid’s own Bugs Crawling Out Of People record label. Re-inventing himself as ‘it-clings’ Squid and Justin set down 14 tracks of spoken word pontificating over hardcore devastating beats, electronic squiggles and melodic tunes. The combined effect is awe inspiring and terrifying at the same time. Luckily the comprehensive booklet that comes with the release features all the words that Squid throws about with a gusto so you can follow / rant along with it if you so want. But be warned. Squid’s thoughts are very dark and disturbed and tinged with the whiff of misogyny. His words would make a whore or the Yorkshire Ripper blush. This is a man who apparently has serious issues that transcends onto the insanity side of things. Or at least he likes you to think he has these issues. He is after all an artist. And artists use their vivid imaginations more than others to shock and awe in their attempt to be creative. Tales of self abuse, loathing, hatred and murderous visions litter the release giving off a pungent stench that is hard to eradicate. If this is the ‘real deal’ then Squid is not someone I would want to meet in a dark alleyway. Not by myself. Certainly not without a weapon or two. Such is the strength of feeling he puts into his pronunciation that you start believing he means every word. A scary thought. The borderline psychotic he portrays is played to the hilt and comes across too convincing in places. Which makes the release the musical equivalent of Bret Easton Ellis’s ‘American Psycho’. Only without the riches and swish swanky apartments. And as Squid regales in the torments of his mindset Justin, whose contribution to the release shouldn’t in anyway be underestimated, provides the thumping backdrop…raising and dropping the tempo as required. The listener caught in the two pronged assault to the senses as the music and wordplay intensifies through each track. Anyone who can make that most innocuous of implements, the spoon, seem like the Devils own instrument of torture gets my vote. And another vote also goes for calling a tune ‘Murder and fucking’. The first line in the last track ‘the end’ says it all…‘mind blurred, can no longer think and I need some scotch and a long dirty stick that is twisted and corrupt’. Strong fucking stuff. After sitting through ‘the all too logical descent into madness’ a few times I know exactly how he feels. Squids words are a thunderous rain of verbal horror that torrents down upon the listener with no chance for a break amongst the black clouds. It stupefies and stuns and is more enjoyable for that fact. Nihilists will have a field day with this release. They should put it top of their shopping list if they haven’t already done so.
The future: well its looking bright if nothing else for our man Squid. The depressiveness of his words will strike a cord with many people. Having aligned himself with an approachable musical accompaniment, rather than using the standard extreme electronic fare found in similar recordings, gives him an unusual edge which he should be able to mine for a few years yet. Although the copyists are probably already out in force as I write this. That’s the way it goes in today’s music scene. In the meantime I’ll happily listen to more from his twisted mind so hope that this won’t be the last I hear from it-clings vs pneumatic detach. The success for his Bugs Crawling Out Of People record label is, of course, rightly assured. He'll be squids in as they say.
reviewer: Alan Milne, August 2007
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side-line magazine
This project is a collaboration between Squid and Pneumatic Detach. The sound of ICVSPD is a hard industrial writing sometimes reminding me to the early years of the genre. A few dark electronic elements have been brought together, but the hard industrial style remains constantly at the forefront! The male vocals are like spoken, accentuating the dark and morbid content. The album reaches a climax on the more danceable-like “Murder & fucking”-track. An honest project, but nothing more! (DP:6)DP.
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connexion bizarre
If you have some knowledge of the North American electro-industrial scenes, chances are the name "Squid" (or "Sqwd") will ring some bells. One of the members of the influential but now defunct Toronto Industrial Kollective, Squid has moved on to start his own label, Bugs Crawling Out Of People, and develop a spoken word (or rather "spoken wordcore") project, It-Clings, in collaboration with a variety of musicians. Justin Brink (a.k.a. Pneumatic Detach), Squid's 'partner in crime' for this album, is also well known for his musical work in critically praised albums such as "[pa.re.ses]" and "[vis.cer.a]" and should dispense introductions.
The basic premise for "The All Too Logical Descent Into Madness" (and for the concept of "Spoken Wordcore") is a seemingly simple one: combining Squid's misanthropic spoken word rants border on the psychotic with an accompanying musical background. Simple in concept but perhaps not so simple in execution, It-Clings and Pneumatic Detach managed to achieve a very effective creative synergy which extends to the entirety of the album and makes it a memorable listening experience despite a couple of flaws. To my ears, the minor flaw seems to be an occasional unbalance in the intensity of music and spoken word. The first and foremost of these flaws is that the album's pacing is so relentless that, when listening to it on its entirety, it may happen that it will on occasion fade into the background. However, when the tracks are taken individually, there's no escape from the delivery of their brutal payload.
Aptly titled, one can't help but wonder if one isn't listening to the raging ramblings of a psychotic madman or, at the very least, a seriously maladjusted misanthrope. In any case, someone you might not want to meet under any circumstance or, if there was such a thing as a 'Thought Police', who would be a prime candidate for execution for what goes on in his mind. Perhaps, in the end, "The All Too Logical Descent Into Madness" is actually a cathartic experience recorded for posterity. It-Cling's texts are explicit to say the least: visceral and violent reflections about the world at large and It-Clings' personal demons. Sex, self-mutilation, misanthropy, madness: every track is one step down, each delivered with frightening lucidity. Pneumatic Detach's ferocious musical compositions fit It-Clings charismatic and expressive spoken word performance like a glove, driving the madness to new heights of intensity, rage and despair.
Morbidly violent, "The All Too Logical Descent Into Madness" is a very intense and definitely interesting release which should be, at very least, checked out. After listening to this album, one can't help but wonder what will come of future It-Clings releases and from collaborations with other artists (though there are quite a few already out there, scattered over a variety of different albums).
-- Miguel de Sousa [8.5/10]
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gothtronic e-zine
It Clings (Squid) and Pneumatic Detach (Justin Brink) have recorded an album together, filled with angry texts of the first one and thumping music of the second. The texts are printed in the booklet, but reading along isn't really necessary: Squid shouts his opinions convincingly.
“These texts contain the raving confessions of necessary evil. What you are about to hear is unpleasant, and unsavioury, these deeds and thoughts come from what people call a degenerate mind, a mind that is twisted and full of filth and rage”, he starts off in the opening tune. Just so you know.
The way this project is set up and the orating of Squid remind me of the numerous projects of Jello Biafra. This particular combination brings back memories of Lard. It is very interesting to hear the way these two gentlemen work together. It isn't simply shouting over harsh music: there is strong collaboration.
But I miss something. I miss the input of Pneumatic Detach. Most of the attention seems to be paid to the lyrics: almost every song ends as soon as Squid is finished yelling. What I miss are some nice instrumental thumping tunes, with nice and mathematical beats and breaks: the reason why we love Pneumatic so much. Fourteen songs in a row with angry shouting and no kind of break whatsoever is just too much. And because of this Justin Brinks contribution doesn't get the attention it deserves.
Concluding: this is a very good initiative, that is very convincingly performed. But I would suggest to create some variation and have some tracks to take a break from all the political shouting. Even if such a break is an instrumental thumping track.
[7.5/10]
reviewer: ergo, may 2007
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it-clings -vs- Pneumatic Detach Interview
ectomag.com
Wednesday, 06 February 2008
Serial killers, they pre occupy the darkest corners of our minds. They frighten and fascinate us. The knowledge that anyone walking down the street could be one. Watching, waiting, plotting finding new places to hide the bodies. Buying industrial sized bags of lime at the local home depot. The image of the lurking mad man is something that is ingrained into our collective consciousness. Wondering what's going on in those twisted evil minds when they catch another one. So many artists have taken the idea of the lone killer and made it their own. Flooding our thoughts with the ripping and tearing of flesh. Few artists have been able to pull it off better than it-clings Vs Pneumatic Detach in their album The All Too Logical Decent into Madness. Its vicious and visceral words making you wonder what the man on the park bench with the lecherous grin is really thinking. Bringing to mind images that are are just as disturbing as anything put on film. Recently I got some net time with it-clings Vs Pneumatic Detach. Talking to them about the albums slightly tongue in cheek aspects making it even more delish. So sit back and enjoy dear reader.
From the mind of it-clings
ectomag: When you were writing this album, did you plan to write such dark and scathing observations on society at large or was it just something that just developed?
it-clings: In a way I found this question, the first one, very difficult to answer, and in truth I took way too long to answer these interview questions.
On a basic level, whenever I write anything I don't look to force something into it that I wouldn't feel belonged. I suppose when it comes to music there are many musicians who write great music but don't have anything worthwhile to say and so end up thinking. We should put some sort of political message behind our music? To which they forcibly inject a deeper meaning. Usually its very notable, and yet at the same time no one really cares, so they allow themselves to
ignore it. However, I'm not a musician, and don't attempt to be one. I just write words, sentences and paragraphs.
The All Too Logical Descent into Madness was actually written to be a concept album, and I think I was wrong in keeping this idea to myself until now. In keeping it to myself I was thinking that people would recognize it and be intrigued with it. However, people are too used to not paying much attention to the content of the music they listen to.
ectomag: All of the tracks on this album are written as a persons inner monologue. Did you have a particular person or character in mind while writing? Do you find it difficult to write songs in the forms of monologue?
it-clings: What I find sort of amusing is that the original concept of The All Too Logical Descent into Madness was actually to do the unthinkable and to approach the most overused idea in the entire industrial music genre: A concept album based upon the serial killer. It's an idea that I have personally mocked in others for quite some time. Its so utterly cliché and boring, and yet this is what I decided. I think it was because I was listening to a few albums and I just couldn't believe how tripe the lyrics and the imagery were, and the idea to attempt to counter this with something better intrigued me.
So I matched together some ideas that had been running around in my head with the extreme viewpoint of a psychopath, with the hope of making exaggerated points about things.
ectomag: on the entire album you manage to keep the vocals pretty intense how did you manage to keep up the intensity level to your voice throughout
the album?
it-clings: Simple: Record the lyrics days and weeks apart.
ectomag: Did your work with Pneumatic Detach on composing the music for the album?
it-clings: Pneumatic Detach was entirely responsible for the music.
ectomag: How did you come to the idea of using spoons as a torture device? I would have thought the unholy spork would have been more effective in inspiring fear.
it-clings: I've always thought that knives and sharp things are too easy and too simple. The spoon is an infinitely more terrifying item because it really takes effort (both physically and mentally) to be used.
ectomag: In recent years a lot of Industrial music has made a transition intosomething that almost strictly for the dance floor, what do you think about the dance trends sweeping the scene now?
it-clings: People want their music heard so it seems natural for them to play music that is easier for people to listen to.
ectomag: Is it-clings -vs- Pneumatic Detach going to be a one time collaboration or are there plans to work together again in the future?
it-clings: I have already worked with Pneumatic Detach on his previous album Vis.cer.a and there are plans for a new track to appear on his next album, but as for a whole album collaboration with him, at this point in time, I don't think that will happen.
ectomag: I let someone listen to the album and they said you're lyrics were disturbing, actually they said you sound like a serial killer that hasn't been caught yet lol, how do respond to people who are disturbed by your writing?
it-clings: Well apparently that person was very perceptive.
ectomag: the combination of the words and music on this album create such powerful images in the minds eye, I cant help but wonder if there are going to be any videos or anything shot for the album?
it-clings: Apparently there are some plans. There is a live video of How Terrible it all is on You Tube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBFqlt3uRYw
From the Mind of Pneumatic Detach
ectomag: How did you come to work with it-clings on this project?
Pneumatic Detach: It-clings had joined in on a few tracks for bands here and there and had been working on a concept for a full-length album. I believe the original idea was to find several artists to take the spoken word pieces and create music to go with the words. Because we had worked on other tracks before, it-clings was talking to me through email about the idea, as he wanted me to be one of the contributors. He sent me a few audio examples to see what I thought of the concept he was working on. Having worked on a track for the Revelation compilation, I felt that having many artists contribute to this would create too varied of a style in the tracks, and that it may not have the full effect that I thought it needed. I had always wanted to do a soundtrack for a movie or video game and this was my opportunity do just that. So I suggested that for this release I do the audio for the entire CD. Instead of taking the track like a remix and sampling the voice to go with the music, I wanted the words to be the focal point of the CD. Basically it-clings is the star of the show here, and I wanted to create the best audio support for the words that I possibly could. So I suggested the idea and he accepted. The writing of the CD, both the words and the audio, went very fast back and forth which was great because it helped the tracks to flow right out naturally.
ectomag: All of the music on the album is a perfect match for each of the songs, did you compose each track specific to the lyrics? or did you already have something in mind before seeing the lyrics?
Pneumatic Detach: I went into this without any ideas as to what the audio would sound like. To me this wasn't a Pneumatic Detach album so all that went right out the door when I sat down to work on this project. Basically Squid sent me the recordings of the vocals, most of them several-minute pieces in 1 take, which was impressive considering his going into a drunken state to produce the works. I think that made them feel natural and not contrived. From there I would basically loop the vocals and sit back and see what kind of vibe the words were giving off; most of the time his words would have a pattern to them. I would tap along until I figured out the rough tempo of his piece and then setup my app to that tempo and start creating rhythms and sounds to support the feeling the words were disseminating .
ectomag: Was the entire album created electronically or did you try to work in some organic instruments?
Pneumatic Detach: Because I wanted to look at this like a soundtrack I wanted to make as many custom sounds as possible. A lot of times the rhythms would be set up with the words and I wanted to get more of a direct connection to the words, so I wrote down a few ideas of what I needed then put together some field recordings. For example a lot of the background voices were recorded by me walking around with a small tape recorder with a condenser mic while we were out talking to various people. The effect in the track "Maybe These Wounds Won't Heal Anymore" when Squid is digging at his arm and tears out the bone was created by breaking pasta under a condenser microphone to give that cracking feeling.
ectomag: You also did work on the photos and design of the album, how did you come up the photos used for the album art?
Pneumatic Detach: Basically the concept for the art was Squids idea to go along with the words. Squid sent me the cover pictures he wanted to use and I created other textures for the inserts and compiled the layout. The printed version came out way darker than expected so a lot of the inside work was hidden.
ectomag: I asked the same question to it-clings, but how do you feel about a lot of Industrial music being more centered to the dance floor these days?
Pneumatic Detach: Well it's like most things, people look at what's the trendy "formula" and go with that because they want to be liked. I mean, no one wants to do something different, uncool or against the grain, people want to sell Cd's and be liked by everyone right?. I guess most people want to go out and dance around so, I guess, that's what is the easiest to sell to people. Most people don't want to have to think about anything, they have to think about work and bullshit all day long and just want to get wasted and blur the whole thing so I guess it makes sense to me as much as it's polluting the system with cookie cutter acts. In that regard I've sort of lost interest in a lot music that's coming out of this genre these days.
ectomag: Of all of the songs on this album which was the most fun to work on?
Pneumatic Detach: I would have to say the last 4 or 5 ( fact check titles) tracks on the CD were the most fun to write, that's more when things got really dark and fucked up so I more so got into the vibe that was going on there more than previous tracks.
ectomag: How do you react to people who may find this album un-nerving and disturbing?
Pneumatic Detach: I laugh. I mean going back to the soundtrack scenario look at how many people go to see horror movies. For example let say "Saw", the content of the movie is pretty fucked up and I don't think anyone wants to live in that movie but they still pay to watch it. This album is along the same lines. I find it funny when people find it disturbing, as if it's an unexpected bad seed in their flow of perfectly predictable electronic music. That right there is exactly why we did this fucking album. To be honest the most fucked up ICvsPD track ever written (sonically my favorite) will be released on the next PD album in 2008, I expect us to get some flack for that: "How could anyone say those things, I'm appalled - thats offensive."
ectomag: The combination of the words and music on this album create such powerful images in the minds eye, I cant help but wonder if there are going to be any videos or anything shot for the album?
Pneumatic Detach: Actually we have been approached by an Amazing director from Italy (http://www.pacciani.com) to do videos for this release but I can't comment right now one way or another if there will be a physical release. Alessandro will be doing an audio remix on the next full length PD release in 2008 if nothing else occurs.
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