At times is hard to remember that BLACKCLOUDSUMMONER has only been making music since late 2017. Before that he had never made music before. The reason for this sudden desire is unknown but probably sits in the middle of a Venn diagram featuring boredom, semi-disposable income, the urge to do something creative and wanting to be part of a scene. Ultimately, I don’t care. All I care about is his output. Which has been incredibly prolific, just around thirty releases in under four years, whilst showing more variety from a noise/experimental artist than I can remember. His latest album TOTAL FUCKING GODHEAD continues his development in ways that were hitherto unimaginable.
Kicking off with the caustic ‘Cum Together’ the album opens with a searing tone. It makes you pay attention from the start. As it progresses the sound of metal being dragged on concrete start to emerge. It creates an incredibly unsettling atmosphere. Eventually this pain-inducing static subsides into ‘Phosphene Activity’ and more palatable sounds start to appear. However, its memory lingers. There is a horrific beauty to it. You want it to end but you also enjoy the perverse joy it gives.
When I listen to TOTAL FUCKING GODHEAD I am reminded of Alec Empire’s 1996 album Les Étoiles Des Filles Mortes. At the time I picked it up I was a huge fan of Empire’s and was devouring everything I could find. It was unlike any other Empire album. Abrasive beats and dubby basslines had been replaced with abstract melodies underpinned by a feeling of comfort. When if finished I felt confused and a little embarrassed. How could I not enjoy it like I did Generation Star Wars, Low on Ice or The Destroyer? I put it back in my rack and didn’t touch it again for a while, but I didn’t stop thinking about it. Over the years it has become one of my favourites of Empire’s releases. I feel the same will happen to TOTAL FUCKING GODHEAD.
Unlike his previous releases TOTAL FUCKING GODHEAD isn’t an audible assault. Instead, BLACKCLOUDSUMMONER has delivered something different. ‘WALKING IN HEELS’ consists of an aerobic melody that rises and falls giving the track a surprisingly lyrical feel. Under these static electronics bubble away. In the past BLACKCLOUDSUMMONER hides the tender parts of the music under layers of noise and confusion. The standout tracks are ‘THREE WOUNDS’ and ‘NOT A LOT HAPPENS’.
On ‘THREE WOUNDS’ you feel like BLACKCLOUDSUMMONER couldn’t help himself. Despite trying a new way of song-writing he had to scratch that old itch and make something abrasively pummelling. Saying that, it isn’t as destructive as BAKED ARCANA or BLOOD MUSIC but compared to the rest of the album it’s a change in tone. The album benefits from it, especially its sequencing near the end of the programme. ‘NOT A LOT HAPPENS’ is deceptively titled. Quite a bit is going on. There are wonky melodies throughout with some delightful electronic blips and beeps giving the song a sense of movement. What is missing is that massive explosion of noise. Yes, there are bursts of static – but they aren’t overpowering. They’re actually quite subtle at times. What ‘NOT A LOT HAPPENS’, and the album as a whole, show is that BLACKCLOUDSUMMONER is capable of delivering tender moments that are genuinely touching, instead of blasting more of our heads off a release at a time.
TOTAL FUCKING GODHEAD feels like the most personal album BLACKCLOUDSUMMONER has made to date. It is reflective and, dare I say, even meditative, in the same way Lou Reed and LaMonte Young can be. This makes sense when you consider that the album is him coming to terms with his sexuality, on his terms, and being happy in his own skin. It’s an album that gets better with each listen and shows why he’s one of the most important noise artists releasing music at the moment.
