Cut Hands - Afro Noise I

Our review
Customer reviews
Press release
Soundclips

5...according to our Ant on Thu 26 May, 2011.

Now this is something I've been looking forward to for a very long time. This is of course William Bennett of Whitehouse fame working with his collection of traditional African instruments (Djembes, Doundouns, Ksings) along with brass, synthesizers, etc. A few Cut Hands tasters appeared on Bennett's blog and had been teasing me for some time so now this has finally landed it pleases me immensely. The Cut Hands sound is an extension of later Whitehouse stuff, especially the final album 'Racket' and also the Susan Lawly Extreme Music from Africa compilation which I suspected at first was Bennett mischievously working under pseudonyms, but I now reckon it is a genuine unearthing of legit artists.The primal/tribal rhythms are fantastic and the looming sense of tension is utterly gripping. All sorts of things spring to mind; tribal hunts, genocide, elephants and lions. It's a startling listen throughout, the product of four years studio work which clearly shows. A hypnotic, intense listening experience which is mostly physical but then there are some more cerebral soundscapes such as ++++ (Four Crosses). 'Backlash' has fast and heavy complex rhythms with swooping swarm-like synths. Very highly recommended.

To play these clips you need to either update your browser (Norman Records recommends Google Chrome) or update your Flash plugin.

“13 tracks of startling afro noise that will blow your fucking mind”“an unholy genre unto itself”

• a bludgeoning mix of machine and vaudou/Central African percussion plus other acoustic instruments combine to create one of the most physically intense musical experiences ever

• songs featured in VBS's films 'Vice Guide To Liberia' and 'Mandingo'

• since 2007's Whitehouse album Racket, and after his original 'Afro Noise' mix became one of the most downloaded experimental mixes ever made, William Bennett's remarkable Cut Hands album has seen 4 long years of meticulously obsessive studio work in the making, notably deploying his special collection of Congolese and Ghanaian percussion instruments

• all songs written and produced by William Bennett, mastering and remastering by Denis Blackham

•CD features 16pp booklet with special artwork, and extended texts by William Bennett and Mimsy Deblois. total playing time: 49 minutes 25 seconds.

Tracklisting:

1/Welcome To The Feast Of Trumpets 2/Stabbers Conspiracy 3/Rain Washes Over Chaff 4/Nzambi ia Lufua 5/Who No Know Go Knows 6/++++ (Four Crosses) 7/Backlash 8/Shut Up And Bleed 9/Munkisi Munkondi 10/Impassion 11/Ezili Freda 12/Bia Mintatu 13/Rain Washes Over Every Thing

Be the first to review this record. Best reviewer each month gets £10 off their next order!