The Body is a prolific musical force whose creativity
is matched only by the astonishing weight of their sound. Duo Lee Buford and
Chip King have established their own musical language that reimagines how
rhythm, dynamics, and sonics can shape or dismantle song structure. Over the
course of two decades, the duo has consistently challenged assumptions and
defied categorization, redefining what it means to be a heavy band. On their
new album, The Body are again pushing limits and testing the boundaries of the
studio to explore the extremes and microtonality of distortion to find its
maximal impact. I’ve Seen All I Need To See is The Body at their most
incisively bleak, a towering monolith of noise.
I’ve Seen All I Need To See marks both a return and
departure for The Body. In contrast to the electronic-centric instrumentation
and production-heavy arrangements of previous albums and Buford’s work in
Sightless Pit, this album is focused on their core live sound: Buford’s
booming, resolute drums paired with King’s obliterated guitar and howl.
Following albums with extensive guest performances and acclaimed collaborations
with Thou, Uniform, Full of Hell, and more, I’ve Seen All I Need To See is
almost entirely the core duo. Guests vocalist/pianist Chrissy Wolpert and
vocalist Ben Eberle are used very sparingly. Course, bristling distortion
contorts every instrument, with samples of spoken word, cymbals, toms and
King’s already noxious tone emerging from layers of feedback. The myriad of
tonal interplays, captured in detail, has a movement all its own. The Body,
together with engineer Seth Manchester of Machines With Magnets, capture the
complexities of distorted sound in stunning detail. The clarity and the
cacophony exceed anything they've created before, morphing desolate, festering
soundscapes into an exhilarating sonic universe.
I’ve Seen All I Need To See demonstrates not only The Body’s fearless spirit and vicious edge, but their intellectual musical heft through its explorations of distorted sound and the power of distorted sounds’ interplay. Composer Roger Johnson said “Noise is power, but is generally represented as negative, chaotic, dangerous, violent, when it comes... from those marginalized from power. Noise is also an expression of freedom, a ‘liberation of sound.’” The Body are sound liberators capable of mining and extracting remarkable details from the most manipulated and distorted sound sources. I’ve Seen All I Need To See is a groundbreaking work and an ecstatic listen, whether seen as a testament to catharsis in oblivion, an opus of inexorable dread or a wholly liberating adventure.
LISTEN
No. 03 Senyawa vs Black To Comm - Alkisah Versi Hitam
No. 04 The Body and BIG|BRAVE - Leaving None But Small
Birds
No. 05 Slikback - Melt
No. 06 Backxwash - Ι Lie Here
Buried With My Rings and My Dresses
No. 07 Dalhous - The Composite Moods Collection Vol.2:
Point Blank Range
No. 08 Ryan
Adams - Big Colors
No. 09 BIG|BRAVE
- Vital
No. 10 Rey Sapienz and the Congo Techno Ensemble - Na
Zala Zala
No. 11 Moin - Moot!
No. 12 Operant - Traumkörper
No. 13 Moor Mother – Black Encyclopedia of the Air
Νο.
14 Converge & Chelsea Wolfe - Bloodmoon: I
No. 15 Don Zilla - Ekizikiza Mubwengula
Νο.
16 Restive Plaggona - Restive Plaggona
Νο.
17 Irreversible Entanglements – Open the Gates
Νο.
18 Scorn – The Only Place
Νο.
19 Alexis Marshall - House of Lull House of When
No.
20 Crystal Geometry - Distressing Visions
