Good luck happens through circumstances. Likewise, an audience is generated through an access point. On “Bajas Fresh”, Bitchin Bajas newest excursion over the hard drive sequencing hurdle, the oblique nature of harsher noise concrete is therapeutically re-spun into a gentle web of guitars, nostalgic electroacoustica, and a will ‘o the wisp elecution lesson with the post processing principle.
As the closing piece shows, the collaboration between various other projects in the first decade electronics has really come to the fore beyond mere fancy and “edm”, electronic body music as well for the gothic tropes fed into ambient, has generated itself a very likeable character in “Bajas Fresh”. The music is quelling of concern and anxiety, like a kosmiche cocktail. Equally so, its addictive and on a pleasant frequency.
What struck me about Bitchin’ Bajas collab with Bonnie Prince Billy was that pleasantness. Unlike some noise-fests I have reviewed, with their sqwuaking saxes, tendril percussions and read-only free kick responses, things are calmly assembled here. Neutral to positive feeling flows as the record spreads its roots.
On opener “Jammu”, one of many obscurely titled tracks here, the group trade guitars for undulating analog. Synths build up like lime to soda, purifying the washing mouth as we gulp its niceness down. Its well structured quiet music, with just the hint of a bustling city centre around the corner. Building well as a set of ever changing loops, its fluidity over pure consonant tone is its greatest strength.
“Circles On Circles” touches on a key comparison here: Tangerine Dream. Bursting into life with whirling atmospheric drums, the arpeggio tool of early electroacoustic history (as to give the melodies more room to breathe) is employed here, and although all this musical theatre has been granulated before, theres nothing quite like Bitchin’ Bajas planting something bajas fresh on your allotment. – Highly recommended!