Zonk

The five improvised pieces comprising Zonk are characterized by drawn-out bursts of squalling guitars and barely constrained chaos on the drumkit. It’s rock-based improvisation, barely clinging to structure. On occasion a melody will surface and linger, just to be devoured once again by the sheer energy of the music. This is a testament to two musicians playing with and for each other, each actively creating and reacting to the sonic world emerging from the interplay between their instruments.

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Building on a noise/jazz foundation, Zonk are locked in on each other as they ride the same muse, building and shifting and hammering away at the loose themes that govern each work. Most of these forays are explorations -- “A,” “B,” and “E” are full of energy and miraculous moments, meandering with soundscapes between moments of clarity. It’s a fascinating struggle between music that is so opaque it triggers the subconscious while at the same time its dissonant nature prevents it from fading into the background. You can’t not pay attention.

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While most of these pieces are eager to devolve and expand, the two tracks sandwiched between the improvisational odysseys showcase a beguiling potential for intricate polyrhythms and innovative use of effects. These shorter tracks struggle to break out of the more structured confines of their initial ideas; for that reason, however, they’re also some of the more engaging pieces on the record.  

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The recording gives the impression that these are live takes – which calls to attention the musicianship. These two can play, and foregoing the benefits of editing or overdubs highlights how well their playing complements one another. With only two instruments, both are clearly audible. The drums are higher in the mix than is typical, showcasing the instrument less as a rhythmic foundation and one of improvisational focus. The guitars, always fuzzy, remain steady in the mids and higher frequencies. While the low end often feels underutilized, the overall effect is one of a singular authentic moment.

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Zonk is a literal record: a captured moment in time that can’t be recreated. It holds the mood of the space these players were in, it captures the wavelength of their inspiration, it locks in and retains something otherwise fleeting. Zonk perfectly executes their vision and have shared it with the world just as it ought to be shared: raw, unwieldy, mesmerizing, and real.