So, what if you get if you have two Elvis Presley-inspired guys from Alabama making music using two computers, a guitar, a piano, a marimba, an upright bass, and a baby? You would get this promising Bandcamp album by the duo Doctor Midnight!
Tracks:
“Baby Confounded by Infinite Number Combinations Hangs Up Infinitely”-Consists of a sound collage of electronic noises and some telephone samples. This reminds me of the stuff you hear on the first Negativland album from 1980.
“Bull Turns on Applause Sign at State of the Union Address”-Starts off in a scream-filled Gerogerigegege-style noise jam, but this time with a more rhythmic drumbeat. It also features altered voice samples and some electronic noises. Later, you hear some clapping along with some bull grunting. After some screeching feedback, the track ends with mechanical reverb effects,
“Half-Mast, Permanently”-This features a distorted drum machine rhythm with piercing electronic noises (but not very loud if you have a good volume level, at least). It also features some redneck voices talking about keeping a flag at half-mast.
“Gordholes”-This has some droning organ sounds (could be artificial, since no organs were credited on the album) with some soft bongo-like percussion and distorted redneck vocals that sounds like they were completely improvised. It later develops a hip-hop style drumbeat with wordless vocals, then back to the original theme, eventually cutting both themes into each other. You later hear weird synth horns, a droning synth flute and a real-sounding gong.
“With Any Luck I Won’t Turn Out Like My Father”-A looping collage of electronic sounds, chiming bells, percussion and organ.
“Chocodino”-Consisting of distorted redneck vocals, piano, and some white noise. It gradually gets more and more noisy to the point of almost becoming a power electronics song! Note that I’m not a fan of power electronics. It gradually becomes a piece with looping vocals and faint electronic sounds.
“Ain’t Sh*t on TV!”-A very short collage of static, Elvis Presley concert samples, and noisy jazz drums.
“Skinnin’ Catfish in A Japanese Airport”-This piece is an IDM-style tune full of buzzing, mechanical electronic noises, along with a looped, jazzy drum rhythm (could’ve been sampled) and faint voices.
“Now I’m a Bat!”-This is full of out-of-tune marimba, random mechanical noises (sampled, not synthesized). It then becomes a noise jazz piece full of electric buzzing and drums, before turning into a more electronic jam at the end.
“Contempt for Harmony, Part I”-This starts off with backwards piano samples that afterwards plays into a normal piano theme. This piano sounds all dark and ominous, and you hear some sacral chants in the background. Some mechanical electronic noises turns this track into a mix of both Autechre and modern classical music.
“Theme for Fingerprints for Vomit”-This features a hip-hop drum machine rhythm along with ominous bowed bass noises and a looped rock music sample. The drumbeat becomes an acoustic jazz rhythm after 14 seconds or so. You also hear a piano playing a rather light melody, along with an out-of-tune electric guitar jam.
“Abracapocus”-A collage of improvised redneck singing with a looped “ping” sample from the beginning of the Pink Floyd song “Echoes”, along with a more deep “ping” noise.
The Final Verdict: If you wish that Elvis was more of a redneck with a passion for experimental noise punk, then you’ll love this album by Doctor Midnight!
Here’s the Bandcamp link for the album: http://doctormidnight.bandcamp.com/
The Crazy Mind of Tré Roland 