Dear all;
My friend, Jen from Stratosphere Fanzine has recently done a incredibly in depth and touching review of my band DIH’s latest, soon to be released album ‘Suicide (I meant forever) on her webzine ‘Stratosphere’ (
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Stratosphere_Fanzine/) and gave
Such a nice review I could not but hare it with you…
We are still thinking about where to submit for possible release,
But I thought I would share it with you to read for yourself…
Cheers
AEN
‘ My pal Andy N is so prolific with his music projects that I can'tkeep track of 'em all! LOL I don't know where he finds the timeand energy to put into creating his music. His band, Distorted InHindsight (an apt description of the sound), or D.I.H., is his mainone and has been going strong for many years. The band member line-up is Andy N, UK Dragon and Keith Hicc, but Andy N's creativeimprint is all over the tracks.D.I.H. play experimental, lo-fi music with a DIY ethic, where Andy Nutilizes blunt, straight-forward, spoken-word poetry, enunciated ina strong, clear, British accent over varied sound bits (sometimesdancy, sometimes spacey, sometimes ominous) that purposely evoke anuneasy mix of real life experiences and dream states. Like allgood poetry/writings, what he talks about makes an emotional impactand creates the feeling of being in certain situations (like beingoutside in the rain, inside the pub, sitting alone, brooding in thebedroom) and experiencing specific things (isolation, decay of arelationship, questioning the world, searching for the elusive).The ideas and images created by the words pertain to a very realworld - the world we live in now, but the mood and sounds created bythe instruments and found sounds go beyond that to our inner,volatile, emotional states.Distorted In Hindsight's latest album is titled Suicide (I MeantForever) and it has a less abrasive and more filled-out sound thanprevious, rawer releases. There are some loops and repetition ofsound, but not enough to turn off a listener (well, at least me -and I'm pretty sensitive to repetition). The songs capture theemotional vagaries of ennui, frustration, paranoia with very sharp,terse, perceptive, downbeat spoken-word from Andy N. My take on themeaning of D.I.H.'s songs may not be accurately capturing what AndyN intended, and I apologize for that, but like all creations that goforth to the public sphere, various interpretations will surface asto their meaning. In most of these songs, I feel a pervading senseof remoteness - a disconnect from the ties that bind us to thisworld - friendships, other relationships, and belief in the self andothers...
1. Suicide (I meant forever) - A short introductory track at just overone minute with a looping, garbled, "voice-on-the-radio" snipstating "I meant forever...suicide" in the background, while Andy Ncomes in all calm spoken-word, saying "I meant forever...once upon atime" - and it's the start of the journey -
2. After all the Rain - A spoken-word track with a needling, sustained,slightly wavery and floating guitar line stitched through Andy N'sstark, slightly repetitive (in a good way though - it builds up theweight of the song) vocals... "After all the tears havefallen...after all the pain is gone...after all the desire...all thewords...all the secrets...all the regrets..." that creates aportrait of the aftermath of a dissolved relationship.
3. Alone in the Shadows - Another very short track with two echoedpiano lines - one is a light, plinking-key tone set against a moreominous, lower-tone piano chord with the only words spokenbeing "...Alone in the shadows..." at the end of number.
4. Candlelight - This is one of my favourites off the album - anambitious song with a sonic splice and graft of monks seriously andslowly chanting (giving it a medieval vibe), globular electronicblips, a mid-tempo dance beat, and spoken-word that somehow allhangs together nicely. Andy N speaks in a mostly clear, butslightly swallowed at end, vocals - and from what I can gather fromlistening to the song, it's about history and religion andhypocrisy - and the hope for a better future, but I could be wrong!LOL The song ends with the lines "No need to kill, no need to maim,no need to spread hate...no more need for murder, and destroying theevidence, and claiming it never happened...I stand herealone...still shivering...still shaking...distorted in hindsight".This incorporation of the band name leads me to change my mind aboutwhat I originally thought their name meant - but once again, this isjust my opinion - I had thought that 'distortion in hindsight'referred to the distortion found in the production of the music; youknow, as a description of the sound - but now I'm thinking along thelines of that, at the time something happens, the events are allclear, but in retrospect, all that can be changed or distorted - andnot be 'the truth' - that when you look back over time, overhistory, what we believe happened may not have happened exactly ashanded down over the years...just my thoughts! :)
5. Translucence - Consisting of the repetitive, low-key whisperingof a man and sound of rain against a window pane (or could it be thecrackling noise of rubbing against speakers?) - and a woman's voicetalking, this gives the feeling like you're peeking through thewindow into a piano bar, while the found sound clip of an announceron TV says "In lieu of the view, she found herself in a new andempty space...” which repeats amid the sound of windwhistling...Very isolating and evocative.
6. And the Rest is Silence (Thrill Racer Version) - A mutual pal ofAndy N and mine, Thrill Racer, guests on this short track ThrillRacer exclaims in an exaggerated, heavily echoed tone "I shout out -"I could never be like you" - and the rest is silence." (exceptit's not silent - LOL) against a deep space sound, like a spirallingsteam engine building up, with lil electronic blips and distorted-tape sounds, while a distorted man's voice runs in 'n' out in thebackground.
7. I sit here Immobile - Elongated, plaintive. Slow violin soundscreate the feeling of staring out into an empty, cold frost fieldwith nothing else and no one around - a feeling of aloneness, ofbeing helpless in the massive, empty expanse of the universe. Checkout the bleak lyrics: "Did you ever imagine that the end could beso close to the beginning? That one morning the sun would fail torise and forever be hidden in the darkness?".
8. Alone in Company - Formed out of drizzling rain and slightthunderstorm cracks found sounds, and in background, anunintelligible woman's voice and spaceship-laser-like sounds thatproduce a hollow sound, as Andy N states "I'm standing alone in asea of noise." (Except it's not totally unbearable noise). By theend of the song, there is the sound of locks clanging shut.
9. Interlude - You can hear distorted kids' voices and grown-upvoices in a carnival-like atmosphere, but the vocals are slightlydisplaced, so that words aren't heard distinctly, which is a bitdisorienting in a tossed-on-the-sea kind of way, as other noisesswirl in background - and once in a while you hear violins slowlytuning up - then right at end Andy N says: "D.I.H."...This one has a bit of a nostalgic feel, most likely due to the fairground vocals.
10. On the Road - Another highlight off the album, this songfeatures a jumping' electronica beat to give it a club sound and afound-sound loop of a guy saying, "What's my problem?” It almostsounds like a laid-back Ministry song, if they went electronic!!LOL Then there are spacey, echoey sounds while Andy N talks,describing a guy who is basically eyeing a trio of girls in a club -and you hear fluttery, indistinct, broken up female vocals inbackground -and the description that at least one girl looks nervousand scared...but then there's this great lyric-twist at the end ofthe tune which puts everything into perspective - like therealization for the listener that these girls aren't in any danger -as the narrator caps it off (about one of the girls) with: "Sheswore at security and my illusion was shattered".
11. My Brother, the Sea - This is a mournfully beautiful, longingsong full of enigmatic feeling and windswept sounds - like thebuffeted seashore supported by some sweet, melancholy strings andAndy N's spoken word, while a tolling bell sound gives the song a weighty feel.
12. No Communication III - Another involving song with a mid-tempobeat, odd spaceship noises, broken up vocals, and whistling wind,with Andy N talking until a dance-beat starts and you hear the samesound loop of the guy from On the Road, and light, clinking noises,and Andy N speaks about a guy and his progression in life - "Therewas no stopping him" - touching upon the passing of time andinevitable change. Andy N brings lots of previous sounds together,like the fluttery girl vocals and ends with the whistling wind soundand the maudlin topic of youth turning into middle age as Andy Nsays in low whisper "Sitting...waiting..."...
13. Empty Phantom - Built from a low-key, unintelligible, echoeyguy's voice and very low-key strings, and a ghostly, empty sound,while Andy N comes in giving a description of a guy getting hisphoto taking - a guy who's staring off in the distance,uncomfortable...from his shoes to his hair, not really himself - andthe idea forms of things not being as 'picture perfect' in real lifeas in a photo...
14. I meant forever (Suicide) - A short fade-out track to finishthe journey, made up of a hollow sound, noise of traffic on citystreets, and trashcan-hitting sounds, with Andy N concluding "Imeant forever...once upon a time.". ‘ Jen
