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OCTIS This is the sixth release in The Social Registry’s 7-inch series, titled The Social Club, which ran from 2007-08. Dispatched monthly via letter-pressed/limited edition 7-inch vinyl and digital distribution, this series presented a full musical array: the established and the obscured, the noisy and the delicate, the tempered and the experimental. "Hypnotic, grinding. This isn't a loop.... dude plays like this." - Stereogum Mick Barr’s guitar style is the sound of musical entropy. His compositions, nestled in that grey area somewhere between grindcore and classical, have the air of some sort of slow building chaos, seemingly spiraling out of control. But Barr, here in his solo incarnation Octis, maintains the poise of a classical composer. His style of heavily-distorted playing could commonly be deemed “shredding,” but the songs found on this installment of The Social Club are anything but mindless noodling. Backed by an avant-garde pedigree, with work in bands like Quix*o*tic, Orthrelm, and a duo with Zach Hill of Hella, Barr makes intelligent music for the metal-inclined. (Call it IMM.) The two songs found here, Navlt and Twelon, showcase the guitarist’s incredible virtuosity on his instrument, with Barr playing lightning fast, traversing the fretboard with unparalleled skill and grace. Octis is self-described as “Mick Barr underthinking,” and both songs reflect this frame of mind. This project finds Barr working within a minimalist framework, taking repetition to its fullest potential. As a result, the riffs on this 7-inch resonate almost spiritually, with Barr exploring phrases fully before altering them and moving on. These two compositions may be heady and experimental, but above all, they’re thoroughly enjoyable - Barr’s mind-blowing talent and the ferocity in his playing leave listeners nothing short of awestruck. |
Catalog Number: TSR053 Tracklisting: |