My Nguyen
Divide and Dissolve members Takiaya Reed (saxophone, guitar, live effects) and Sylvie Nehill (drums, live effects) produce instrumental music that has a way of speaking without words. Once you hit play, the rush of sounds will immediately ambush you with its searingly potent and beautiful notes. A buzz of activity that layers in the band members’ classic influences as well as their more contemporary inspirations, their music has an ability to transcend genres and modes, feeling like a whole new category unto itself. The three-track remix of their Gas Lit album, sees the band members enlisting the help of Chelsea Wolfe, Moor Mother and BEATCAT to help further their sound. As a part of the project’s origins, the band explains: “Collaboration for us means resonance. A means of achieving deeper understanding.” Chelsea Wolfe and Moor Mother include their full vocals to their respective works, adding another captivating layer to the already radioactive sonic energies.
Gas Lit (3 Part Remix) opens with the Chelsea Wolfe remix of “Far From Ideal,” where a layer of feedback right away meets listeners. Next, some industrial synths join in to mix with Wolfe’s haunting and ghostly vocals. The music is adamant and in-your-face with the noise level achieving a chaotic sound. The powerful dynamic of digitalized instruments and organic vocals gave this track a powerful frequency.
On “Denial,” the BEARCAT remix, glimmering synths contribute to a glitchy vibe. Ominous sounds appear, giving the track a very dark vibe. The sounds of beats and strings pulsate with a pulling appeal. The remix was eerie and gave off a Hitchcock vibe.
In Moor Mother’s remix, “Mental Gymnastics,” spoken word vocals are delivered as strings eerily reel in more of the band’s dark energy. The performance poetry evokes a very mysterious and enigmatic feeling. The sound of wind instruments gives this song a very Eastern flair that at moments reminded me of Arabian Nights. Beats reverberate for a startling effect as the band sends listeners off with the cryptic warning “…This is the danger song.”
These remixes were very well done and gave us a glimpse into how Divide and Dissolve’s sound could end up sounding with the inclusion of vocals. The vocals from Chelsea Wolfe and Moor Mother took these recordings to the next level. For those of you who have yet to give the original LP a listen, this might be a good time. For those of you who already have, now might also be a good time to pay those soundscapes another visit. D&D’s newly released remixes are also beautiful works of art worthy of repeated listens. I recommend listening with a good pair of headphones on to get the full-on impact of the musical effects. Gas Lit (3 Part Remix) was another startling release from the band and it will be interesting to see where they take their sound to next.
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