The work in question is Before and After The Silence cassette from 1994 by King Nothing, the brain behind Demencija Prekoks duo/trio, cult experimental noise/punk outfit that was sort of beacon of Belgrade's underground culture throughout the 90es, mainly because of their chaotic live shows, but often branded as being too extreme or too outlandish for Serbian underground standards [albeit frequently referenced for comparisons within a very small circle of connoisseurs].
King Nothing née Đorđe Dimitrijević is from Požarevac, a small city in east central Serbia that you could hardly call a punk-Mecca, yet it's mostly known for it's political power-struggles as it was stronghold of former Milošević regime during the 1990es as well as the backbone of opposition movement. King Nothing started Larynx there in 1983, making it one of the first home-made tape projects in former Yugoslavia. Firmly grounded in clear ideological principles, he wanted to make "first music of white youth, completely liberated from negro or oriental music elements" - as he himself has put it. In course of 6 years he released more than 60 tapes in limited editions on his private "LX Music LTD", very few of whom appeared elsewhere, with some featuring on Marzidovšek's Marzidovšekminimallaboratorium and one on Dragan Pavlov's own Crvene Kasete/Red Phoenix label. And it was upon Larynx's ashes that foundations of Demencija Prekoks were laid. But, more on Larynx's take on atonality and minimalism as well as Demencija Prekoks will be said in the next episodes of A Hogon's Industrial Guide.
The first thing one notices is that Before And After The Silence is completely liberated of anything remotely resembling style, genre and alike yet in the same time quite coherent with what it is.
On the A Side music is predominantly featuring overtreated, intertwined samples of pre-recorded synthesizer disabuse and rhythm-machine exhaustion mostly revolving around diluted punk patterns that are being overcrammed [per unit of time] with cacophonous outpourings of versatile instrumentation [toys and found bangaway objects included].. with the mentioned patterns usually ending up by being slowly dissolved towards the end of tune, gradually descending into total havoc before the track is over, a trademark of pure punk spirit. And that's pretty much where the attraction of Before And After The Silence lies: the manner in which he psychotically deconstructs each of his sordid creatures unearths a dilletantism [with a double "l"] so liberated of any pretension almost as if it was a creation of an infant.
On B Side, music [again predominantly] creates a slightly different effect with all these overtreated tape loops getting a more psychedelic property and a certain introspective quality. Instead of bursting onto the unsuspected listener they just collapse onto self, ending in a sort of an anticlimax.
The most glorious parts of the tape include 'State of Perplexity' and 'Don't Bring Me Hope' with their manic schizophrenia atmosphere and those 'epic' synthesizer sequences. Also, 'Moj Deo Muve' with that vague ska-like pattern being noised into oblivion.
On a more technical note, the thickness of King Nothing's sound is probably best conveyed by a set of headphones, which makes the feeling of claustrophobia even more genuine [the rip being below standards, unfortunately].
Released on his own Key-A-No Records. Thanks to Dr. Srele for the information. Download it - HERE
