existent/nonexistent - Is The Silence…

 Released: April 28

On his latest effort released on ECHØVEIL Records, Canadian noise artist existent/nonexistent plays around with a concept that is not theoretic explored enough: silence. It manifests as a three-piece album, with the first being but a brief introduction to the album and the final two being roughly similar in length. It seems like in may create a lopsided dynamic but it works perfectly as our brief introduction is among the compact with noise here, almost as if it is purging a bit to prepare us for the more tense and skeletal compositions that follow. As for the other two, they are inarguably rather unnerving. Not because of what is there, but beside of what there isn’t. Among the small skitters and clicks, we are treating to moments of pure silence that just tap the border of being too long for comfort. There’s a click that washes away in reverb, then silence. A few seconds of it then another skittery sound, then more silence. The predictability of the silence is never predictable, amping up the tension as you wait for the next sound. 

It’s a very interesting concept, not as extreme as the classic composition of pure silence from John Cage but it surely plays on such ideas. Sitting and waiting for the next piece of stimuli creates a feeling of implicit dread, as we are so accustomed to stimulation on demand. You can always be assured that there will be a next sound, but the anticipatory sensation is perfect. The sounds that are there feel less like the focus, although they are a lovely bit of ear candy that range from clicks and pops to low hums and rumbles. But the focus on silence inverts the expectation of a noise track as something filled with persistent noise. Instead, we are teased and left wondering, yet still somehow a little overstimulated.