Blawan - SickElixir
XL
Yorkshire's Blawan has been warping minds and bending time for a while now. But that doesn't mean that the mind warping and time bending is over with; it may have only just begun. Blawan considers SickElixir to be his "official debut". For those that are tired of artists hiding behind their lack of vision and talent, SickElixir has you covered; a new sonic shift has been unlocked. The word "original" was thought up/invented/manifested for moments like this.
I had to make sure my headphones were connected properly to ensure that I was hearing was the actual album and not some signals-crossed, distortion-infested version of the album. But it was indeed the grizzly-sludge of SickElixir that was being poured into my ears. It sounds like rats have eaten through your antenna of consciousness. The album brews itself out as if it has been salivated into being. It's a fusion of sound and filth; caked in phlegm. Tunes withered down by stomach bile, Blawan's SickElixir is not for the faint of heart. It bridges the gap between experimental and nonsensical; being and doing both in the process.
"The GL Lights", the album's opener, houses this sinister air. The vocal's are as deep as the Devil's den; like quicksand put together by your nannas thickest gravy making skills. Molten porridge. Upset tummies conversing through oscillators. Beans on burnt toast. Putrid flesh. Rigor mortised mentalities. Feeble fellas.
Photo credit: Riley Paskal
The horrible voice that comes through on "Weirdos United" reminds me of Kate Bush's Hounds of Love record; the vocals sound like they're saying "be quiet be quiet be quiet" toward tracks end. Also, on "Don't Worry We Happy" the breath-y hushes are very Hounds of Love-y(Wake Up!). Speaking(writing) of vocal effects, "WTF" comes through with those like didgeridoos. There's enough low end to rattle the dust off a stagnant psyche. 'Demonic' may be the only word that can capture it's rotten-to-the-core essence.
The production throughout the project is top notch - immersive, how ever-unfortunate that is for us. It's like being wrapped in a film of bad breathe and stuffed with corrosive apples. Bubbling up like a lava lamp filled with shit, SickElixir is bound to upset many.
Pin-pointing influences will prove to be a pointless task. It's no wonder that Blawan has said that he only really listens to his own music; where else would he get the motivation to produce this kind of utter insanity from?
The rumblings of a sick earth linger. The transformation that is required awaits us.
