Stefan Jaworzyn ’Drained Of Connotation’

Stefan Jaworzyn ’Drained Of Connotation’
Blackest Ever Black, 2014 (UK)
BLACKEST027

Among the many things Stefan Jaworzyn did to make a name for himself in the noise scene of the 80s and 90s, being a founding member of U.K. bone crushers Skullflower and on-and-off part of power electronics mainstay Whitehouse might be the most well-known. He also ran the Shock label, which put out stuff from the likes of Coil, Current 93 and Nurse With Wound.

“Drained Of Connotation” is a collection of recordings Jaworzyn recently discovered of himself messing around with a Korg mono synth (either MS10 or MS20) and a Dr Rhythm drum machine all over the course of a weekend in 1982.

Marc Masters writes pretty convincingly that the whole thing could’ve been an even better project, but I give this thing big points for just being so interesting given the constraints. It’s minimal in the sense that Jaworzyn isn’t really doing much here… messing around with stuff like the attack and decay on the synth and largely letting the drum machine do its thing. But it’s totally extreme.

Sure, he’s just messing around, but you get the sense he’s really actualizing his vision for the two days he had with this Korg (it was borrowed). So bonus points for turning out something so uniquely punishing and transgressive. You know, in a positive sense.

Recommended for those who know what they’re getting into.

Edition of 700

Final note, this has the best song name I’ve encountered in a few months, side b, track four: “Psychoanalytically Speaking, You’re Fucked.”

Final, final note: Great interview with Stefan at Tiny Mix Tapes.