irr.app.(ext.) / WYRM - Hypothetical Tardigrade Resurrection #1/Labyrinth Defector

This is a split single from two US artists on the Somnimage label. irr.apt.(ext.) is the project of M. S. Waldron, a sometime collaborator of Nurse With Wound and various Steven Stapleton related projects. 'Hypothetical Tardigrade Resurrection #1' is something of a restrained piece of ambient experimentation offering textured drones, some percussive interplay and just as it starts to evolve into electronic tones, it dissipates into the sound of ball being bounced. It's all too brief, and from what I've heard from irr.apt.(ext.) they're not best suited to the 7-inch format. Wyrm, on the other hand, offer an intricate mass of sounds that tends toward the darker ends of ambient-experimentation. Wyrm is the project of Allan Zane, here assisted by Terry Stalcup, John Murphy (- yes, John Murphy of KnifeLadder, SPK...), and Kensaku Nishizato. Torturous electronics, submerged voices, environmental sounds, processed bells combine combine to create a fine slab of malevolent intent. I'm not too familiar with the work of Allan Zane, besides some contributions to material from the Sword Volcano Complex and Shining Vril though on the basis of 'Labyrinth Defector' I'd be keen to hear more.

M.S. Waldron's sleeve and label artwork is stunning. There was an ultra-limited edition of 33 copies housed in a 12-inch sleeve with accompanying artwork by M.S. Waldron but they are long gone. This split single is released in an edition of 300 on white vinyl but don't hang about as they shouldn't last long either. For more information go to www.somnimage.com