My experience with the Australian label Cranial Fracture is that they are usually quite loud and not so easy to digest. The quality has been good though, so if you are in a noisy mood then this label has some interesting releases to offer. Neon Womb is no exception. This is a project by one Lee Bulig, also active under the name of Stark. On the Neon Womb debut he offer us over 70 minutes of demanding electronic music. Noisy industrial is mixed with technoid elements. The songs are instrumental, except for a few sparse samples.
The sound structures are not very straightforward and quite hectic, and take some time to adjust to. Perhaps the difficult compositions are caused by the fact that Bulig is interested in various types of music, not only electronica and noise, but also jazz and classical music. In fact, there are not many ‘intimate moments’ on this album, but many restless attacks of (break)beats, noises and quite a few suprises. In the middle of a noisy part you can suddenly hear some soft piano tones, alternated by beats resembling a mitrailleur. Some tracks, like ‘Butcher’, also show dark EBM elements, Wumpscut-style. The overall mood is quite destructive.
Due to the complex rhythms, dense sound and eclectic compositions, I find this a not very accessible, but certainly interesting album. If you’re not afraid of heavy, demanding electronic music, like Gridlock or Mlada Fronta for example, you get could some pleasure out of Neon Womb.
