Merryl and Flex1000 are buddies, you can tell. I’d guess that these guys probably toured around the USA in a convertible or something. The music sounds that way, like cray dudes daring each other to drink bleach in a convertible. But, these fraternal vibes also reminded me of how ethical noise buddies can be. The tracks aren’t nihilistically squelching all over the place or trying to blindly wreak havoc; instead, there’s a zen patience going on where the two tease tension and deliver moments that are MASSIVE and meaningful. So, I’d go as far to call both sides of this tape meaningful BANGERS, in their own way.
Merryl’s side (banger1) has these odd beginning sounds, and, I can’t tell whether I’m spooked or chill. I think a lot of people call this a Lynchian vibe, which basically means that it’s 1) creepy, 2) tense, and 3) a little funny, too. Fuzzed out vocal samples are mixed in, creating a bouncy Dilloway moment that’s immediately thrown out the fucking window when the whole thing BREAKS. Soon, the side flies off the handle into a slow-burning smack-down where the sonic violence gets super transcendental.
Flex’s side (banger2) delivers driving synth pulses set to his own distorted, apocalyptic vocal blasts. After some preliminary wylin’ out, the side digs deep into phases of serious head-nodding rhythms that are blown, scorched, torched — whatever — they’re badass and real (real-as-in…punch your friend at the show and then kiss your friend at the show).
Both sides manage to be absolutely manic, and somehow absolutely positive.
Check out the tracks below and grab the tape from New Body Tapes, a new label in Boone, North Carolina.
• Merryl: https://soundcloud.com/merryl-cosley
• Flex1000: https://soundcloud.com/flex1000
• New Body Tapes: http://newbodytapes.tumblr.com
