come october by himukalt

"following quickly on the heals of the recent knife through the spine vinyl lp issued on malignant records, come october is the sixth release since 2016 from himukalt, which is the solo project of nevada based ester kärkkäinen.

with a sound that is rough and decidedly gritty, the analogue derived tones are soot and rust infused, while the vocals feature as emotional and bile drenched (aka echo distorted/ treated). minimal structure is employed throughout, based around crude abstracted rhythmic programming, choppy static, shuddering distortion and occasional tonal blasts, but the end result is an industrial noise ‘post-mortem’ style than anything typically of a harsh noise variety. the minimalist approach to sound and composition gives a clear nod to the likes of the psychological and death obsessed sounds atrax morgue, while the sonic treatment of vocals renders them for tonal impact rather than decipherable intent. yet based on their at times pained delivery, i gather their lyrical content functions for a degree of personalized catharsis that anything resembling a role for externalized ‘entertainment’.

opening track ruined-raped is an absolute stormer and functions to illustrate ester’s command of compositional restraint, as well as the perfect execution of controlled tension in building it to a liberating release. again and again is another standout track, structured around a rhythmic percussive junk metal loop, upon which fluttering textures, distortion smears and treated agonized vocals are laid, where all elements are gradually elevated in intensity over its elongated length. apology uses composed minimalism in the best way possible, where wavering tonal elements, needling drones and apathetic but heavily treated vocals gradually makes way for throbbing beat before abruptly concluding. for the late track no longer her dominant, a pathological atmosphere pervades proceedings,which carefully balances the minimalism of its tonally droning sonics, where it is also the only track where the spoken vocals are (partially) decipherable.

in a relatively short space of time ester has clearly garnered positive attention within the underground, which is solely down to the strength and intensity of her output. with six tracks feature on come october, and running to just short of 40 minutes it makes it an effective album length tape, and is as good a place as any to either be introduced to or otherwise better acquainted with himukalt." - noise receptor, 2018

himukalt is the work of ester kärkkäinen. she uses noise, voice, electronics, xerox. replication and reproduction of the body through sound via desire, lust, hostility, rage, mania, depression, blood, flesh.

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