Perth-based experimental rock group Injured Ninja released their debut album ‘Injured Ninja vs Skylazer’ earlier this year on Heartless Robot, and several months on this follow-up ‘Redeemer / Skylazer Remixed’ acts as a remix companion, whilst also bundling in the single track ‘Redeemer’ which features guest vocals from Japanese noise artist Harico. While the influence of At The Drive-In still lurks amidst ‘Redeemer’s angular squalling guitars and distorted vocals, it’s perhaps Liars that comes most to mind as a comparison point here as hammering tribal drums and wiry slabs of guitar distortion relentlessly wind up the tension levels, before suddenly exploding into spiralling breakdowns. It’s certainly an impressive opening salvo on its own, but in this case the accompanying remix collection proves to be no less compelling. While I have to confess to being unfamiliar with any of the names pressed into service here, they all manage to maintain the levels of intrigue and heavy atmosphere whilst also dragging the original source material into considerably diverse terrain.
If Kit Pop’s reworking of ‘Knucklepuck’ flirts with Daedelus-esque eccentric electronics as it sends thundering tribal drums rolling beneath moody string samples, beeping analogue synths and clicking, off-centre electro rhythms, Boobs’ ‘Frampton Mix’ of ‘Death / Jam / Toast’ pushes the bass distortion into the redline, as distorted black metal vocal growls echo out against bleeping gamecore synths and tinny 808 hits, in what’s easily one of the more bizarre soundclashes on offer here. Elsewhere, Yarhkob’s remix of ‘Oxygen Absorber’ pits Mr Bungle-esque eccentric guitar flameouts against a lazily rolling lovers’ rock backing that descends into flexing junglist breakdowns and distorted hardcore screaming at points, while Lewis Galaga’s reworking of ‘Fallopian Tube Screamer’ brings the rock elements back to the forefront, leaving the original vocal more or less intact whilst injecting a slight Techno Animal meets Mo’ Wax feel to the reverb-drenched drums. An impressive offering from Injured Ninja that also succeeds in being one of the more consistently worthwhile remix companions I’ve heard in recent months – ‘Redeemer / Skylazer Remixed’ comes either as an insanely limited run of just 50 CD copies, with a download version also available from Bandcamp.
Chris Downton
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