SUPERDENSECRUSHLOADFACTOR — Understand Non You Do Odd (review)

SUPERDENSECRUSHLOADFACTOR — Understand Non You Do Odd album cover

Album · 2011 · Jazz Related Improv/Composition

3/5 · 2012-06-12
AtomicCrimsonRush

"Understand Non You Do Odd" is the debut album from Superdensecrushloadfactor, a one man experimental jazz Avant prog artist, Gabe Buller. Gabe wrote, composed, engineered, produced and created the whole thing. He is obviously a talented artist as he plays all instruments including mandolin, guitar, bass, keyboards and drums, and even sings some vocals in places.

The album is an instrumental project overall that is concentric in generating atmospheric RIO fused with layers of jazz improvisation, and a multiple progressive disorder of atonality. One of the reasons I even bothered to listen is Gabe is an Australian artist, from my country, and I always support rare Aussie prog artists when I can. I am the first to admit I am no mega-fan of Avant or RIO, as it gets too bleak and disturbing often, though I have time for The Residents and Frank Zappa due to the brilliant compositions and albums. Gabe's music is full of discordance and is very unpredictable switching signatures at will and stylistically is diverse fusing metal with jazz and reflective acoustics that search for a melody. This album is definitely his heaviest in terms of implementing metal distortion and fast tempos, and therefore it is my preference of the two.

'Syntax Defect' is a very experimental instrumental that is powered along by relentless jazz percussive shapes. The guitars switch at will from clean finger picking to a distorted chugging metal riff. The heaviness of this track outweighs most of the music on the followup album and for my tastes I prefer this heavier approach. The track is one of the more complex compositions from Gabe in terms of structure and interplay of generic styles. This is perhaps my favourite track from Superdensecrushloadfactor.

'I Fell Down A Whole' has vocals that are rare on these albums and I was immediately reminded of Zappa the way it is sung with a kind of low key approach. The guitars are very grungy and there is even a metal riff that locks in at 1:30. The drums sound a bit more removed from the mix on this piece. The guitars are relentless and aggressive and I like the lead guitar lick towards the end.

'Disjointed' is a track with hyper experimentation with polyrhythmic metrics and a very fractured time signature. The high hat work is excellent keeping things jazzy. The guitar licks are again present and the way the time sig switches abruptly almost at will is a master touch. There are some nice guitar sweeps and chord changes and again like the way it keeps the listener guessing as to where it will lead next.

'Recollection' is acoustic reflection and has a pleasant breezy atmosphere with some interplay of finger picking overlayed. This is a very accessible track in comparison to what has transcribed previously.

'ADHD Apes (Stopped Dead in Tracks)' is a short sharp shock of proggy distortion and off kilter drumming that blends into some twin acoustic work. It ends with a cool jazz groove that had potential to go longer and build with other instruments but it cuts off, stopped dead in its own tracks, I assume.

'Subtropical at the Red Couch' is a jazz guitar instrumental that is one of the more accessible musical pieces from Superdensecrushloadfactor. It makes a nice breakaway from all the weirdness and is jazzy throughout. Back to the high strangeness in earnest with 'Ship Emerging From The Fog', especially the backward swells of guitar chords. This is a very atmospheric sound and really does conjure images of a ship slowly moving through dark waters to its doom. I wish it was a bit longer as I really enjoyed this sound.

Mandolin dominates 'Ding Trudge' and it is another diverse sound maintaining my interest. The percussion and pulsating bass create some jazzy textures until an odd guitar sound begins a new phrase. It crashes suddenly and the cadence becomes totally ruptured.

'Understand Non You Do Odd' is driven with a heartbeat of bass that sounds like an encephalogram machine. The hypnotic cadence is augmented with a chime effect. It breaks into a free form jazz improvisation that seems to wander aimlessly. At 3:50 some killer drums explode and then it settles into a slow paced hook. The sporadic percussion is a key feature on this track and the way the guitar interplays with its own time signature competing against the drums.

'The Goats Milked Carton' is next with more time signature switches and then surprisingly more vocals come in and are very brief but appropriately breaking up the dissonance. The lead guitar is well played on this song and the odd structure reminds me of Mr Bungle in places.

'Total Flight' is the final track dominated with beautiful crystalline acoustics. The minimalism is very contemplative and serene; a real breath of fresh air. This tranquil dreamy music is a nice way to close after all the atonality and dissonance previous.

Overall this debut album is a refreshing slice of Avant jazz and I really love how the time sig switches dramatically, as it makes for a dynamic listening experience. I rate this more highly over the followup as it appeals to my senses more, but both albums are worth a listen and are very different in themselves (3 and a half stars for the debut, 3 for the followup), There are more highlights on this album for my tastes and I appreciated hearing something very unique and diverse.