Ben Frost – All That You Love Will Be Eviscerated (2018) [Official Digital Download 24bit/44,1kHz]

Ben Frost – All That You Love Will Be Eviscerated (2018)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/44,1 kHz | Time – 31:12 minutes | 322 MB | Genre: Electronic, Ambient
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Mute

Extracted from and expanding upon the sessions of 2017’s The Centre Cannot Hold with new tracks and remixes, All That You Love Will Be Eviscerated continues Frost’s journey into more lively, angular forms of colossal sheets of noise. No longer defined by the tidal roar of 2009’s By The Throat, the Iceland-based Australian composer’s work now feels like the distorted hyper-colour beauty and dynamics of Tim Hecker’s recent work filtered through the earth-splitting amplification of Lawrence English’s last handful of years. (The topographical crunch of 2015’s The Peregrine reissue feels like a particular touchstone.)

Self Portrait In Ultramarine feels almost baroque in its cascading sequences — both hazily cinematic and thunderously Teutonic. Where Frost’s work has always been powerful, All That You Love Will Be Eviscerated’s experiments also feel lithe, giddy and colourful. It’s not just about volume, texture and mood but novelty and thrill. An adventurous, enthusiastic mood permeates the record’s undercurrent of drones and distortion.

The truly fascinating experiments lie in the re-imaginings from Alva Noto and Steve Albini. Albini’s take on Meg Ryan Eyez, in particular, is surprisingly clean and evocative. But, really, the whole EP is another great piece of work from one of Australia’s finest exports.

All That You Love Will Be Eviscerated is the second EP to be released in conjunction with Ben Frost’s incredible 2017 full-length The Centre Cannot Hold. As with much of Frost’s work, the release is a tense, unnerving set of visceral sound constructions utilizing acoustic instrumentation as well as intense sound design and audio processing. Overall, though, the EP isn’t quite as noisy or punishing as the album, but it’s not quite calming, either; it’s somewhat like the dust settling after a massive explosion. The EP’s title track appears unaltered from its album version, but “Meg Ryan Eyez” is reduced to a soft twinkle by Steve Albini (who engineered the album) and Alva Noto strips the fizzing strings of “Ionia” down to an icy pulse. The track was also reworked by Jlin, who frames its cinematic suspense in lush, organic drum patterns, but her mix doesn’t appear on the EP, and it might’ve been somewhat out of place anyway. The EP’s final two tracks are easily its most abrasive, with grinding noise and distorted strings juxtaposed with soft, gorgeously broken melodies. Overall, a fitting aftermath to a remarkable, dread-filled onslaught.
– Paul Simpson

Tracklist:

1. Ben Frost – All That You Love Will Be Eviscerated (08:16)
2. Ben Frost – Self Portrait In Ultramarine (06:11)
3. Ben Frost – Meg Ryan Eyez (Albini Suspension Mix) (02:42)
4. Ben Frost – Ionia (Alva Noto Remodel) (05:27)
5. Ben Frost – An Empty Vessel To Flood (04:42)
6. Ben Frost – Goonies Never Say Die (03:50)

Download: