Skan-zen – Pure Distortion
Published December, 2013
by Easterndaze
Signals From Arkaim is a Prague-based imprint, following in the footsteps of CC-licensed, virtually existent releases of the once thriving netlabel scene. They mostly focus on uncompromising fringes of the experimental underground, but also have such releases as the noteworthy mixtape consisting of soundbytes from Czechoslovak TV series. Their latest batch includes the mysterious project Skan-zen and their Pure Distortion.
“Pure Distortion (00-11) is a play with time and coincidence. Quest of sound. Corrosion and origination. Repeatedly effected record uncover the initial frequency of the material itself.” The tracks are intense, soul-searching, sound-bending minutiae which end before your ear starts looking for traces of rhythm, or even melody. Oscillating between noise, drone, rhythmic delineations, abstract electronics, conjuring eerily idiosyncratic (skan)zen like atmospheres.