Attrition is truly as unique as its author. Slikback is a name you hopefully know by now and if not, please always keep this guy in mind. Seriously, this guy from Kenya is absolutely reshaping acoustics with every release. The sound design on this album is as alien as it could be, but it still clearly draws back to contemporary genres and further musical abominations. While it cannot be considered classic Hardcore as it is mainly featured on this blog, the album is as hardcore as it gets. The infotext on Bandcamp names influences such as “Gqom, Dubstep, Tech-Step, and Hardcore Techno“. But there is so much more and less to discover here.

The LP is equally complex and approachable at the same time. Beautifully crafted soundscapes go hand in hand with insane synth chops and heavily distorted elements. It’s often even hard to pin down what’s happening and especially what’s awaiting us as listeners. A very demanding, yet relaxing experience once you submit to it. Most tracks on this LP are rhythmically challenging or at least feature hectic bits that keep you alarmed in a good way.

But then again, the vibe of this album especially shines, when the dreamy and the harsh sides collide and form something special. Throughout the eleven-track long journey, you experience many acoustic landscapes that couldn’t be farther apart. Yet at the same time, everything connects seamlessly. This bass and distortion heavy experiment feels alive and as if it is constantly altering its state. A simply mesmerizing piece of experimental music.