Behold, it’s V. Hold from Philadelphia, one half of the experimental techno duo Metasplice, about to launch their second release “Churn / Decant” on Morphine Records.
But honorable Mr V. Hold has decided not to limit his range of action to unconventional sound processing for Morphine and addresses the cassette and digital nation with the solo debut on Seattle’s ever-surprising Further Records.
After checking the bass system in improvisational “Sub-railing”, takeoff is completed in “Oxygen Loan”, built on a limping beat for industrial witch dance experiencing deliberate glitches closer to the end. “V-Hold”, a modulated sick drone, is followed by über-intense “Lfoilburn” – otherworldly gabba where jacking distorted rhythms are clothed with the toxic dust and the desperate groaning of the doomed.
Slowly detonated by hollow rhythms coming from the distance, green slimy ooze starts to flow in “Airtight Infiniloc” and the percussion overcomes initial shyness to fill the room with thunder. Raw as hell is another distorted cut “Auto Internal”, akin to Spiral Tribe’s self-destructive hedonism, as it’s built on fast and wrenched rhythms.
After glitchy and bass-laden “Chemel”, “Feedliner” is like an ode to dump trucks, heavy and exploiting the enormous potential of deep-bass machinery, leading to fast and abstract staccatos in “Infra-Cauk” and “Ionisense”.
Without going to the extremes V.Hold has managed to put together a very intense and reasonably noisy selection, showing also good potential for open-minded floors.