Schwindsucht – Somatolysis (Recommendation)

Recently, I was recommended a tape release where the description sounded so wicked that I could hardly believe that someone can mix together so different genres and really deliver convincing music. After I had listened to it full of excitement, it was clear to me that Schwindsucht can actually do that. The duo is made up of members of Gall and Medicine Noose and has released Somatolysis, a 2-track demo that fans of experimental drone/doom should definitely listen to in order to experience the oppressive sound for themselves. You can expect an absolutely sick mix of noise, power electronics and extremely dense metal, which, once heard, burns itself into the brain and causes system failures.

The A-side of this demo features the track “Cascade of Strangulation” and begins auspiciously with glitches that are unburied by gloomy, mechanical-sounding speech samples. Gradually, moreover, a droning surge builds up, making the whole thing sound even more massive and bringing all sorts of depth to the sound. Shortly after that, you get some disturbing screaming in addition, which sounds as if someone stuck in the K-Hole is sending despondent messages from a spaceship, which seems authentic especially through the aforementioned noise effects. The vocals themselves are viscous and leaden, just like the music that wobbles out of the speakers during this. Absolutely terrifying what Schwindsucht put in our face. If you are on psychedelic drugs and don’t want to have a horror trip, you should definitely keep your hands off this, but if you want to teach yourself to be scared at night, you can turn the bass box up and lose yourself completely in this noisy-electronic sound terror, that’s out of question.

On the B-side you are welcomed by “Alienated From The ‘Own Self'” the second track of the demo, which sounds musically no less experimental, but also differs from “Cascade of Strangulation” and thus underlines the diversity that Schwindsucht already prove with their first release. The song also begins with creeping noise sounds that echo electronic malfunction, but here the guitar comes out a little better and seems much more concise. Followed by harsh spoken words, a horrible soundscape builds up, which comes across much denser than the one of the first side. The soundscape repeats itself in a mantra-like manner and thus really casts a spell. After this setting has progressed a bit, the nightmarish vocals come crawling out again, underlining the true darkness of the song. Thanks to the oppressive power electronics, you lose yourself immensely fast and feel pulled into an astral maelstrom, which you, once addicted, can’t escape anymore – or would like to? In general, “Alienated From The ‘Own Self'” seems a little more structured and can score not only by its instrumental parts, but especially by the atmosphere created by it, which is supported by mechanical samples in the middle part again and is then finished with disturbing sound overlays towards the end and leaves the listener with a feeling of bewilderment about what was just experienced.

At Heavenly Vault you can currently order the tape version including the corresponding poster and should definitely do so as an experimental music listener with a penchant for grim sci-fi. With Somatolysis, Schwindsucht deliver an insanely exciting debut, which I personally like especially well because I haven’t really come across this sound elsewhere. Roughly summarized, you could probably say that the whole thing here could easily be sold as an unknown early Sunn O)))/The Body split, although for my taste it could go more in the direction of the B-side in the future, which I like even a bit more. But everyone who is into noise/drone and oppressive sounds has definitely come to the right place with this combo and shouldn’t sleep on Schwindsucht.

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