How to Make Insane Even Insaner: Godflesh Remixes Controlled Bleeding
There are a few names out there that are just plain intimidating. Names like Robert Pollard or Dominick Fernow, artists who are just so insanely prolific that cracking into their discography can seem like a daunting task. One of those artists is most definitely Justin K. Broadrick, he of Godflesh, Jesu, JK Flesh, Final, Pale Sketcher and a zillion others. Whether dropping LPs like crazy across his many pseudonyms or doing remixes for everyone under the sun, JKB's discography is borderline terrifying — mostly because almost all of it is worth your time.
Broadrick's latest remix is for experimental outfit Controlled Bleeding's "Swarm," and is culled from their upcoming remix LP, Carving Songs. The long-running experimental outfit specializes in the left field, heavy and unpredictable, fitting in quite nicely with bands like Swans who also cultivated noise and rhythm into a sound all of their own. While they aren't exactly the household name that Michael Gira & co are, for the learned within the realms of music that is confrontational and pushes boundaries, they definitely are.
The new remix from JKB is the marriage of two underground powerhouses. In the revisionist version of "Swarm," a downtempo trip-hop beat and overall gloomy vibe provides the basis for the track, which features a repetitive loop punctuated by waves of power electronics. The track sits comfortably with Godflesh's recent material, and builds upon the original in ways that are nothing if not totally insane and challenging — much like Controlled Bleeding itself. Stream the remix and the original below. And look for Carving Songs on August 4 via Artoffact (pre-order here).
1. "TROD" (Defiler's Song)