Oh, it’s been too long, people. Our apologies, but the summer plays tricks with all its sun and heat and fun and such. But we’re back over here at Nine Chainz HQ, albeit briefly before another adventure looms when we head to Lake Erie to wrestle with water flora and sand and flotsam. But we’re here now, so let’s dive into this beast of a record by Portland duo Sea Moss. These cats are wonky in a post-punk meets post-cyborg meets post-noise meets post-shriek meets post-electrons sort of way. And it’s a delightful wonk that they purvey, a crafty zaniness that is nearly indescribable.
Snazzy drumming reigns supreme, courtesy of skin pounder Zach D’Agostino, who also lays down some ‘tronics. Noa Ver is they of the Kazu Makino meets Deerhoof meets Caroliner vocals-as-telephony trip and this individual also won’t let us forget that they are wrangling electrons too. Describing the sound that this pair emanates is particularly difficult, as they defy comparison and stretch beyond genre boundaries. There are definitely songs here, but they’re wrapped in modem squeals, fuzzy time signatures, ray gun gurgles, and the hypnotically high-pitched voice of Noa Ver. I smell Lightning Bolt at times, but there’s way more funk involved. The aforementioned Deerhoof or Caroliner? Maybe a dollop.
Forget it. Just sit back and listen up, kiddos. Bidet Dreaming is where it’s at. There are no duds here, as all songs are rocketry incarnate, incendiary in execution and energy. Take “Knock Knock Joke” for example. It starts off all coy and sparse but ends up coming to a boil in no time – a screaming across the sky, as Thomas Pynchon might put it. This track is the decoder ring from which all remaining songs can be deciphered – it contains all of Sea Moss’ many moods in one tight package. And there’s a lot to love: the thunderous drums paired sommelier-style with Noa Ver’s shrill siren call; a DIY electronics aesthetic that takes its time sliding into top gear; a cantankerous rhythm that hangs together precariously.
It’s not enough for us to describe the mayhem of Sea Moss, you must experience it. So sidle over to either the Crash Symbols Bandcamp or the Feeding Tube Records website and become wrapped in the warped sensibility of this dynamic duo.
