NanaNanaNanaNanaNanaNana is doubtlessly the best-known/most infamous release of Torturing Nurse, they themselves being easily the best noise outfit out of China (not to knock others - many a good one out there). Since 2004 they have been steadily churning out releases, but quite astoundingly the vast majority of their output is actually highly enjoyable. They've tried their hand at many a style, though the style they've probably best come known for (and at which they are so, so very good) is the typical analog junk noise; clashing junk metal sounds, amateur guitar shredding, piercing screams, etcetera. Nana is slightly different, being very screams-heavy and focusing less on the analog noise. It's no less great than their regular material, however (of course).
Years back, Nana was my introduction to Torturing Nurse, and it won me over on the first track, straight-away (a most impressive four seconds). If there was one adjective I found most fitting for it it was 'inane', and I still think it's a pretty solid descriptor right there, but it fails to capture the pure intensity of the disc - so perhaps we should opt for 'insane'. What you hear is 23 and a half tracks of drunken screaming ('screamo vocals', said the label's website back then) and random noises, and then the same 23 and a half tracks in reverse. The result is alienating and plain weird, sounding something like a Junko tribute gone wrong, or a post-noise-gig screaming contest recorded in a Shanghai back alley.
Torturing Nurse has gone on to record so much more since then, and has committed an astonishing amount of greatness to tape, CD, vinyl and DVD. However, Nana is still one of the highlights of their discography. Obscurica, the label that put this out, doesn't seem to be around anymore; the website went down a year or two ago, and I haven't heard anything of Patrick, the guy that ran it, since. Unfortunate, certainly, because it was really brilliant; many a great disc was released on it. If you can find a copy it's well worth it!
Lo!
Torturing Nurse realy cought me ears after i found them in the last fm . the realted artist that brought me to the revealation was another great Noise artist in the Japanese scene all Hanatarash which you probably heared about .
ReplyDeleteso - thanks again for the review , and i'll check it .