Jazkamer: Failed State of Mind

Pica024. CD. Released October 2010. Audio sample.

"Failed State of Mind" is Jazkamer's 25th studio album. Most people know of the infamous "that difficult 25th album", but for Jazkamer the landmark number appears to have given no difficulties, as "Failed State of Mind" is the most mellow and easy-on-the-ears recording Jazkamer since 2006's "Panic". The nine tracks that makes up the album is a drifting tapestry of droning guitars, distant location recordings and tasteful percussion work, all woven together in a seamless stream that is subtle and abstract. Melody is hinted at, but never achieved, buried beneath layers of sound. One could almost thing that Jazkamer is getting mellow in their older years. What sticks in the ear is the clarity with which Jazkamer shifts between different swathes and bandwidths of noise. From moment to moment what you catch feels like a pinball machine, a child's electronic toy, a rasping insect, a fax, or simply the abstract whirr of sonic information; all caught up in an articulate but pressured streamline. "Fail State of Mind" is a pure and profound release that sticks a new definition to naturalism.

Argentinian sound-wizard Anla Courtis contributes with guitar-work on two tracks.

Cover by San Francisco-based photographer and artist Suzy Poling.

Review:

JAZKAMER - FAILED STATE OF MIND (CD by Pica Disc)
It escaped my attention, but 'Failed State Of MInd' is the 25th studio album by Jazkamer, quite an achievement. This year they release an album every month, and this is their October release. Jazkamer is one of the most original voices in noise music, me thinks, and this album, with nine tracks, each lasting three minutes and twenty seconds, is more like an ongoing track, cut into nine smaller pieces. This is a rather mellow release for Jazkamer. Strange, mildly distorted drones from guitars, obscured electronics, recordings from the room next door (bursting out, at one point, in what sounds like rock music), chirping insect sounds. Sometimes forcefully loud, although rarely, and sometimes deceivingly soft. All woven together into a single, great composition of thirty minutes. Now that's what I call intelligent noise! (FdW)