BINMATU explore the microcosms of sound. These are tiny things amplified into near-painful levels. ‘CRYSTYLYS’ takes apart the sound bit by bit. Songs are essentially non-existent. Melody barely rears its ugly head on these seven tracks. None of these could be considered pretty. By excluding nearly everything in these sparse recordings one gets the sense of a self-contained ecosystem. Keeping everything out helps it to maintain a sense of being stuck deeply inside one’s own mind. Yes it can feel quite claustrophobic at times but that’s oddly one of its most endearing qualities.
‘I’ (none of the tracks are titled) begins with a high-pitched digital sheen before deeper elements are added into the mix, ebbing and flowing. ‘II’ explores a queasier time one of a sound uncertain of where it is headed. The feel is one of complete discomfort. Sachiko M has a bit of influence over the nearly translucent ‘III’ which is pure clean drone with a particularly delicate high pitch that recedes in and out of the mix. ‘IV’ continues the path of ‘III’ but goes further down the spectrum akin to a long-forgotten test pattern that has slowly decayed over the years. For ‘V’ the clicking is reminiscent of Florian Hecker at his most confrontational. ‘VI’ is perhaps the most abrasive track with nothing more than a quick, pulse-like itching sound.