Mai Mai Mai: Theta
Tony C. of noise rock act Hiroshima Rocks Around and spastic-pop duo Trouble Vs. Glue, decided to take us on a new exciting sonic trip through dense soundscapes, abstract beats and immense noise. The purpose of this journey is sonic experimentation and Tony C. definitely knows how to go about in order to achieve extreme outcomes from his music.
So in Theta (first letter of the Greek word “Thanatos,” meaning death) you will find brutal noise outbreaks, as is the case with the title track opening the album in a quite intense manner. Still on the background, behind the thick and unwelcoming wall of noise you can hear the immaterial melodies, making an appearance whenever that proves to be necessary. He knows when to add melody to keep boredom away for the listener. An even more extreme outburst is waiting for you in “Muo,” with Mai Mai Mai taking you down in even darker paths, shifting the ambiance as the noise floor becomes impenetrable. The only aspect of “Muo” that is helping you not lose track of reality is the percussion in the background, offering a very lucid sense of rhythm. Obviously that is not enough to result in the track being called ordinary.
But apart from the brutal side that Tony C. reveals in the tracks previously mentioned, there is a fair bit of diversity in here as well. “Prometheus” sees Mai Mai Mai undertaking a more spacey personification, slowly unveiling the imposing soundscapes of their music, while some of the parts act as hallucinogenic, causing strange sonic illusions to enter the auditory spectrum. On the other hand “Noeo” brings a more dystopian aspect of the project in perspective. The minimalistic texture as the low frequencies start to abruptly swoop in are coloring nicely the intangible sonic constructions, while the effects used on the track are quite interesting giving an even colder feel to the overall music.
Still, there is a fair bit of melody and an ephemeral sense of some structure in Theta. “Upnos” with a more industrial outlook is able to conjure an almost mystical ambiance with its extraordinary synths on top of the repeating motifs of Mai Mai Mai. And finally, in the most impressive track of the album, “Telos” (Greek word for “end”), Tony C. gathers all of his innovation and vision to create the most impressive sonic structure of the entire album. The landscapes leave behind their noise core and are allowed to move into paths of grandeur. The result is an imposing track, showing that Tony C. does not have to rely just on one trick in order to make an impact, and it easily becomes the highlight of the album.
Mai Mai Mai here have taken the vibe of electronic music and combining it with the powerful impact of noise. The tracks found in this album serve to fulfill many purposes, from the brutal and intense moments of sheering insanity, to spacey investigations, structural construction of sonic landscapes, industrial repetition and melodic outlines are just some of the aspects of Theta. And this is what makes this album an interesting offering altogether.
Written by Spyros
Mai Mai Mai: Theta
Boring Machines
3.5 / 5
