Gender Sabotage - A Low Life In High Heels [Bored Bear Records - 2011]“A Low Life In high Heels” is number seven in the series of twelve monthly 3 inch CDR releases that are been released through-out 2011 by Irelands Bored Bear Recordings. Each release in the series celebrates, pays tribute and chronicles one of the many projects of highly influential & respected Texas noise artist's Richard Ramirez. The Gender Sabotage project has been going since 2007,& has put out ten or so releases since then that take in splits & stand alone tape/CDR releases- the project is just another solo endeavour. Sound wise I guess you’d describe it as stuck Harsh noise texturing meets HNW churn. The projects subject/ theme is seemingly based around the world of transsexual prostitutes, actors and genreal transsexual life. And this particular release seems to focus in the life of Holly Woodlawn, a ‘Warhol’ drag queen protégée who is mentioned in one of the verses of Lou Reeds “Walk On the Wild side” This 3inch cdr features three tracks in all that run between just under the three minute mark to just over the eight & a half minute mark. First up we have “Candy Darling” which is the shortest of the bunch at the 2.51 mark, and this track is built around a rolling noise wall which keeps randomly catching every 5 to 10 second- it sounds like a subtle skipping cd or jumping record of a walled noise track. The first few times I heard the track I found it a little too jarring, but over time I’ll have to say it’s quite grown on me. Track two is entitled “Nono Noona” and is the longest of the three tracks at 8.33 mark, and this track nicely alternates between stuck billowing almost slowed down industrial noise texture and slow crusty textural noise descends. I think it’s my favourite of the three tracks here as a really like the way you get sucked in & entranced by one textures, then Ramirez slides into the second texture like a knife sliding into belly flesh. Lastly we have “A Girle Boy” and this track is built around tight ‘n’ taut juddering noise textures- I guess this track is more of a straight forward textural noise attack, but it never the less is very worthwhile and it really nicely warps you in contagious and un-escapable textural judder for it just over seven minute runtime So this another worthy chapter to this series of 12 releases, and shows once again a slightly different side to Ramirez noise-making. Of interest to those who enjoy a place between stuck and looped harsh noise & HNW texturing. Roger Batty
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