Cock E.S.P. - Historia De La Musica Cock
A Tribute to Experimental Music, 1910-2010
Here's a band that I haven't seen mentioned among "serious" musical circles often, but that is likely to change after Historia De La Musica Cock. As a quick introduction for those unfamiliar, Cock E.S.P. is a Minneapolis-based act specializing in areas generally associated with noise music and performance art. At times their work leans on somewhat adolescent humor, which is partly or mostly why they aren't already widely admired among avant-noise aficionados of more academic persuasions. But their music is very, very high quality. And if you're a lady or gentleman who fancies yourself dapper and genteel yet sensitively sympathetic to the visceral vicissitudes of post-Higginsian Danger Musics of the 21st Century, consider this: you have come full circle, and playground humor makes you more uncomfortable than looking at Hanatarash "bulldozer gig" photos. Accept that discomfort--it's supposed to be part of this kind of work. This is the kind of album that can blow your mind and take all of the beer out of your fridge.
Truth be told, Historia De La Musica Cock is easily one of the best noise-related recordings of the last long while. Presented as a tribute to the last century of experimental music, it succeeds both as an homage and a compelling album on its own terms. You can frequently hear the influences being referenced, but even at its most imitative moments, feedback and electronic noise often interject, commenting on particular moments as well as building walls of sonic weight that bring the whole recording continuity. I find myself tempted to start listing off the wide range of bands/styles that make quick appearances, but that's part of the creative joy of getting to know this record--reward yourself!
Cock E.S.P. has divided the recording into 99 individual tracks (on CD), which are also collected into 11 larger "movements" that conform more or less to areas of influence: art movements, classical, avant-jazz, dance, industrial, etc. Later movements incorporate some chronological order, too. All of it is presented attacca (with no pauses), and at a little under 38 total minutes, it's manageable as a singular entity, too. The recording breathes instead through changes in density, atmosphere, or tempo as appropriate. There are quiet passages, though the emphasis is increasingly on speed and abrasive textures as the macrocomposition progresses toward newer influences that evolved in a world increasingly calibrated to accommodate more noise. Percussion becomes more prominent in later sections, too. While some segments segue violently between one another to a montage/cut-up effect, many of them sound surprisingly controlled by the ranges of noise overhead that compliment one another like drone clusters shifting around every 20 or 30 seconds.
This is a record of extreme resources: in addition to covering a wide range of styles/influences, it features a huge list of guest performers, and segments were recorded over two years in multiple locations, some in studios and some partially captured live. It must have been an incredible effort to assemble the final mix. There is compositional creativity and depth to interest listeners at virtually any time scale they might prefer, from seconds to minutes to the "movements" to the gestalt effect of the whole piece. The packaging is incredibly thoughtful, too, featuring 2 great art panels made by Jobeth Ahlborn and Raws (both of whom also play on the album). And they're only asking $8 postage paid for this! Like many of my favorite records, there is so much material to ingest here, from so many perspectives, that repeated listenings are rewarded with seemingly endless new insights. If you like brutal musical romps through avant-garde history, Historia De La Musica Cock is a must-have for your collection.
-first published at Killed in Cars
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