Search - Hanatrash :: 4: Aids-A-Delic

Bedroom studio chaos.

James Nichols | Away from you. | 05/05/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This album is basically Yamatsuka (now his name is Yamantaka) Eye
of Boredoms fame solo with a broken tape recorder and some assorted records by guys like Hugo Montenegro. It isn't a Hanatarash "album" per se. It sounds like it was recorded in an apartment by a slightly demented and spastic genius with a bit more time on his hands than should be allowed. But then again, how would this album exist at all? It is actually very very funny (as indicated by the track titles), something that is missing from most "noise" artists. It does remind me of early Merzbow, but with an emphasis on spontaneity and poor fidelity. The production is pretty much non-existent. There are entire tracks that are only one channel on a stereo system, for all you "lo-fi" freaks out there (it makes it really interesting to hear on headphones). This is not necessarily a bad thing. I love everything the Boredoms have ever set to tape, and I love Eye, so by default I love this album. But I don't honestly listen to it all the time. If you want a true representation of Hanatarash, I would suggest one of their first three live albums (which will be tough, because I think they are getting rarer and rarer by the day) where Eye (on vocals) and Taketani (on various percussion) destroy venues and equipment (literally!!).It is interesting that this album is called "4". The Boredoms "Super Roots" series (which I think has gone up to Vol. 8) is missing a volume 4 because that particular number is unlucky in Japanese culture. I think it has something to do with sounding like the word for "death" in either Japanese or Chinese. That should give you some kind of indication of what this thing sounds like."