Reviews:
(Raised by Cassettes) A Pole Position type of bass line takes us into this symphony of electronics with distortion. This is the full on modem vibe. As it cuts through, it becomes more harsh and it just feels like a system trying to reboot. If robots were programmed to feel, this might be that expression. A harsh wind comes through, blowing that distortion, and then the electronic lightning follows. This is a storm reigning down and it is out to destroy the empire. All goes quiet with the ringing of the telephone sound. Distortion blasts slowly build back up. It can feel like Transformers, but we're also finding a rhythm. This can break down in a mechanical way, as there are these almost pinball tones going through with it all. A big wind storm of distortion comes back to cover it all as well, as this whole thing just feels like we're once again in the eye of the hurricane. The beeps feel a bit like droids talking to each other and then it drops into this deep bass line which feels like it goes up and down- like when they monitor you being alive at the hospital- and as it hits the high peak it makes a sharper tone. A slower, sort of acoustic strum feeling now as we go into the next song. That sound of stone is spinning. Some whirrs come in as if we're bending the wind and you can hear those drops on metal. This all turns into chill guitar notes and it just feels like we're drifting on a desert island somewhere. Big bass notes come in to take over that sound and bring it to an end. Onto the flip side now and there is a mechanical sound which can feel hypnotizing to start and then it drops off into harsh distorted clouds. A ringing now. The suspense of this is slowly building. It's that sci-fi laser gun feeling now as whirrs make us also feel like a spaceship is preparing to take off. Electronic wind chimes and the thump of a beat with it make this sound feel like we're in a horror film now, so of course I'm in space and thinking of the looming threat in "Alien". It can feel like we're going into a trumpet of triumph feel, but softer. There is also this sort of nostalgia feeling to this sound now, as if we're trapped inside of a memory. A pluck and we drop off into some chords, as this becomes more guitar based now. This has turned into a warm guitar loop with a little bit of a crackle. As this feels like it could be lulling us into sleep, a sharper electronic modem vibe comes through and then a higher pitched tone as well. This really feels like it could be setting the tone for us being in space and our ship falling apart, piece by piece, until there is nothing left. - Joshua Macala
(Vital Weekly)Behind Lunt, we find Gilles Deles-Velins, who has been releasing music since the early 2000s, with albums on Another, Carbon, and his own Unique Records. I reviewed three of his works (Vital Weekly 934, 480 and 422), and I admit I have no idea what they sounded like. Deles-Velins plays the guitar alongside objects, effects, and amplification. In my previous reviews, I don’t recall the word ‘noise’ being used frequently, but on this short (23-minute) cassette, there are quite a few instances of it, especially on the first side. There is some lovely, controlled feedback and distortion, mixed with finger picking. However, I enjoyed the other side even more, as here the atmospherics come to the foreground, even when the music has a roughness, adding to that atmospheric quality. It tinkles away, drifting slowly, rumbling and stumbling, and there is the occasional noise outburst at the start and towards the end, as if to say: this is where it’s coming from, or this is what precedes it. I’m not sure, but I immensely enjoy this approach; noise is good, atmospheric noise is even better. - Frans de Waard
(Bad Alchemy) LUNT, das ist Žils Deless-Vēliņš (Gilles Delas-Velins), der in Riga pendelt zwischen „Broken words and lost answers“, „Between Crystal and Smoke“. Oder schlicht zwischen Russisch und Lettisch, wie bei „The Inner Border“ mit einem Gedicht von Anna Achmatowa. Russia is this big Other for Baltics nationals. Unfortunately, War in Ukraine confirmed my fears and assumptions about this splitting, schreibt er dazu. Noise to Body, Repairs in D (eh?130, C-25) dreht sich um Dirt, Desire, Delusion. In surrigen und brodelig verzerrten, chaotischen Loops, die ineinanderrauschen, sich krachig ineinanderdrehen, mit tickenden und scharfen Interpunktionen. Dann trommlerisches Tremolo und metallische Schläge auf grolligem Flow, der abreißt für fragil gezupfte Gitarre. Und weiter mit rauer Verzerrung und hellem Beben, sanften Harmonien und auch wieder sich drehender Gitarre zu einem sirrenden Schleifen. Keine Gebets-, eine Lullaby-Mühle. - Rigo Dittmann
(Lost In A Sea Of Sound) For listeners exploring soothing ambient pathways of sonic serenity.... go away. Noise to Body, Repairs in D are sounds in the opposite direction. Thinking about this, maybe Lunt's new composition could be your muse... so please stay and read on. Over time, the appreciation for sounds from the aural thresholds has matured with unanticipated delight. A strong component to this are the numerous releases listened to and described from both Public Eyesore and eh? labels. There are other sources, but since Noise to Body, Repairs in D is on the Public Eyesore label, we can hold here. Sometimes pressing play on a tape brings the walls tumbling in. The first track titled Dirt Unleashed Desire does exactly that. A cacophony of feedback and distortion, the most horrific sounds from a dental chair you would never wish on anyone. Dirt Unleashed Desireis is the heaviest dose of conscious rumbling, few places to secure thoughtful footholds. This is good. As mentioned, there needs to be a matured appreciation to make it through. To where? The next two selections on Noise to Body, Repairs in D answer this. Distonic dials back the noise creating a raw ambiance of wasteland tranquility. A port with ships at rest while a gale blows through. The third selection titled Dismantle Delusion begins with slight sonic tumult and then sits back with a cup of tea and a grin. This is the benefit of having a little resolve when listening to extreme compositions. Yes, there is the dissonance, but there is also the accord. The connection with the artist is thankfully more indubitable. Lunt is the project of Gilles Delas-Velins based in Riga, Latvia. There is a good amount of exploration to be done on Lunt's bandcamp page with various physical releases available. Noise to Body, Repairs in D is available on cassette by the eh? label. - Ken Lower
(Written in Music) De kracht achter Lunt, Žils Deless-Vēliņš, woont en werkt in Letland. Meer dan 20 jaar geleden was hij mede-oprichter van het Franse label We Are Unique!. Hiernaast heeft hij aan uiteenlopende experimentele muziekprojecten gewerkt, als songschrijver/componist en als sound engineer. Recenter deed Deless-Vēliņš van zich spreken met vj- en videowerk, alsmede een YouTube-kanaal over geluid en muziektechniek. Een serie interviews met Letlandse componisten is in de maak. Volgens Deless-Vēliņš, wiens benadering wel enigszins vergeleken kan worden met die van Jim O’Rourke, kan de meest extreme feedback in potentie ook poëzie of inhoudelijke betekenis herbergen. Dit kun je als uitgangspunt zien van Noise to Body Repairs in D, een experimenteel werk dat volgens zijn zeggen ergens een echo is van Lou Reeds Metal Machine Music en Sheer Hellish Miasma van Kevin Drumm. Silver Session (For Jason Knuth) van Sonic Youth komt wellicht nog dichterbij. In Nederland hoorden we dit soort muziek nog weleens langskomen op het Narrominded label, al kun je dergelijke elektronische geluidsexperimenten in feite ook herleiden naar het muzikale pionierswerk van het Philips Laboratorium in de jaren vijftig. Noise to Body Repairs in D bestaat vooral uit gitaarfeedback die vormen vindt door de inzet van ring-modulatie. Dit levert een intrigerende ep van ruim twintig minuten op. Een mooie lengte voor eenieder die open staat voor dergelijke intense klanken maar die toch eerst gedoseerd wil ervaren. De eerste track, Dirt Unleached Desire, wordt door panning verlevendigd; kleinere maar vurige, intense noise bevolkt de polen van het spectrum. Door het midden werkt zich een reusachtige boor. Qua geluidsbeeld een boeiende balans. Zoals Einstürzende Neubauten al zong: ‘Das Lied schläft in der Maschine’. Als de stilte invalt heeft dat net zoveel effect als het hardste lawaai. Bijzonder. Na een passage van een verschroeiende intensiteit valt na zeven minuten dan toch definitief de rust binnen. Distonic kent een vlak maar zonder meer spannend verloop en laat meer ruimte dan zijn voorganger. In de laatste fase zijn het een aantal cut-off momenten die de muziek effectief accentueren. Hierna laat Dismantle Delusion een dromerige, post-apocalyptische sfeer horen. De muziek roept soms beelden op van smeulende resten maar is op andere momenten op een vreemde manier hoopvol. Dan worden as en puin verdrongen door ontkiemende planten. Noise To Body Repairs in D is na Phantom Solids en Remember We Were Waiting for the Snow wederom een release die je niet in de koude kleren gaat zitten. Lunt onderzoekt, graaft en probeert, vanuit een persoonlijke, oorspronkelijke muzikale filosofie. Op deze ep leidt dat weer tot een heel ander geluid, al bespeur je, als je de drie genoemde werken hebt beluisterd, ook zeker telkens de hand, en de geest, van de maker. - Edwin Hofman
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