Genre: Ambient

Tracklist:

Part 1
Part 2

 This is a split/collaboration between Atrox and Antracot

“Oppenheimers Garden” is split up into two half hour long tracks. The first track begins with about five minutes of low pulsing and drones. This is abruptly interrupted by a few sharp eruptions of feed back. Electronic squiggles talk back and forth with each other. They have a conversation. I noticed there is no tension in this track. At about eleven minutes in, I realize the pulse of the song has diminished in tempo to a real slow background beat. Suddenly an overbearing metallic tone dominates all the other sounds. The metallic tone is invaded here and there by a bouncing trampoline pulse.

This is starting to turn into harsh noise. High pitched waves squall in. It reminds me of doom metal in a very abstract way. I think a skilled arranger could transcribe this so it could be played by an orchestra. It reminds me of experimental classical music from the 1940s and 50s. A rusty tin siren fades in and then back out. There are video game lasers and electronic crickets that slowly turn into a smoothly lo-fi electro beat. There is a moment of near silence and then the dance music starts up again. It quickly decays into a tornado of noise. Drones fade out into silence. Part One is over.

Immediately you can tell Part Two is not going to sound like Part One. I was kind of expecting it to though. It begins with a low rumbling that reminds me of planes above me. There is a lot of tension. It sounds like something is going to happen any second. The tension does not build, it is just intense. About eight minutes in, a beat begins that sounds as if it was played using power tools. The intensity of this increases along with the volume. The beat is incredibly repetitive. The power tool sound mutates and begins to remind me of birds. Throughout this track I get the feeling that the music is above me. Planes, helicopters, birds, hidden cameras. Almost like I am being watched, or monitored. The last ten minutes of this song are an unyielding dull roar. A continuous rumble that shakes you because it is so quiet. It does not fade out, the music just abruptly dies.

“Oppenheimers Garden” is the second part of the so far three part series called Earth Listen. These are extremely limited releases and should sell out soon. Volume Two was limited to 99 copies available from Atrox. Well worth seeking out. The collage on the cover is incredibly bizarre if you take the time to really look at it.