Shackleton: Freezing Opening Thawing
Similar Artists: Muslimgauze, Peverelist, Demdike Stare, Pinch
Genre: Abstract Electronic, Jungle
Label: Woe To The Septic Heart
I washed up on the shoreline of this unnamable island around noon — or at-least, what I should say, is that the height of the sun at that particular time seemed to reveal it was noon. Otherwise though, it seemed as though I was stranded without a technological reference to my name. Yet within the short amount of time since my unplanned arrival, I had a sort of sense that time as a whole moved differently here. Not necessarily faster or slower, just different — perhaps more angular, or even on a different wavelength entirely. And despite the fact that this place was clearly an island, there was an instantly mechanical presence to it, and I was convinced that if I decided to burrow deep enough in the sand I would reach a high tech laboratory of sorts. In fact, everything I could tell about this island was rooted in a kind of fabrication; from the way the palm trees swept in the breeze so neatly, to the way the birds chirped at the most opportune of times, to the slightly altered coloration of the sand itself. It all seemed synthetic, as if this place I was on was not a true island at all, but one meticulously crafted to look like one. However, this realization didn’t prevent me from continuing to be drawn to it one bit. It was only at this moment that I stood up from the sandy spot I had been lying in since my arrival to inspect the borders of the surrounding area. It was indeed a fertile land, brimming with all sorts of exotic life. There were various coconut trees scattered around the shoreline, and I was able to see a variety of multicolored birds flying amongst the foliage.
As I approached the thickening shrubbery, I heard, only very faintly at first, the sounds of tribal drums emitting from the center of the jungle. They were increasingly violent sounds — mallets pounding erratically on bongos, congas, tympani, and countless other percussive instruments. The sounds instantaneously instilled fear in me and drew me closer into the chaos; I would even say they provided a sense of nostalgia for some unknown part of me. Had I possibly been to this place before in a vision or a dream? Or perhaps heard about it in some ancient folklore? As I drew closer into the eye of the jungle the sounds thickened immensely, and the fluttering patterns adopted polyrhythmic qualities. The brash chaoticness of the endless banging and clashing soon ushered me into a psychedelic haze, and I found myself stumbling to keep afoot. My eyes too, soon became watery and unresponsive, and I noticed I hadn’t been watching where I was stepping. Regardless of my condition, I continued on, and even with my fading peripheries, I felt as though I was becoming more cognitively aware — more intensely attuned to the reality of things.
At about a mile in from the shoreline I realized it was not only percussion that I had been hearing, but an entire ensemble of eclectic instruments — most of which I could not claim to know the origin of. Just like the coaxing qualities of the environment, these sounds were of the utmost intrigue to my senses, yet somehow stripped of their most innate and natural abilities. It was all just a mere fabrication of what I had previously considered to be music, and I could feel my innards shifting to make sense of this enlightening new information. I knew it from the second I stepped into the jungle; I was evolving.
As I continued to draw closer to the source of the music, a warping snake-like melody crept up my backside along the inner notches of my spine. A stinging sensation began ringing through the entirety of my body, as if I had been stung or bitten by a venomous scorpion-like creature. I looked down to see if I could catch a glimpse of anything moving, but it was too late. Everything, from my memories of the old world to my innermost private thoughts and emotions were replaced by a new identity. Stronger and more willful I felt, but also colder, more devoid of a self. Stripped of my humanity, I gathered myself into a stable upright position and continued on, knowing fully well where the path would soon lead me.
Track Listing:
1.) Freezing Opening Thawing*
2.) White Flower with Silvery Eye
3.) Silver Keys*
Album Highlight – *
