These little surprises, such as this tape from absolutely unknown project to me, released via small and obscure label Side of the Sun is what sometimes, accidentaly cheers you up and heals your ears though before listening to the release, you expected absolutely opposite emotions. And that's also one of the movers that drives you forward, that makes you understand that you should never stop exploring and searching for new sounds, new releases and ideas. Before listening to this release, I thought that on this tape I'll find some noisy fooling around that goes nowhere, ostensibly funny though quickly upsetting. But I've received absolutely different emotions. I don't know how Ataraxic Ataxia valuates themselves and what were their intentions when recording this tape, but what I hear, is that this tape is something weirdly sad and beautiful. I wouldn't unamibiguously call it neither noise, nor avant-garde, but something in between. A side is one big title track. Violin melody, sluggishly slithering in between noises. There are places where it seems that it's just pointless pulling of bow, but soon the sound changes and violin with synthesizer suddenly forms consonant depressing accords. They don't continue for long and you're not allowed to indulge in them for sounds and temporary harmony is being deconstructed further. But these seconds are far more affecting than hours and hours of torturing instruments in classical pieces. Towards the end, instruments are covered with lush and soft low frequency noise. Quite static ones, but I wouldn't call it harsh noise wall. The other side of the tape sounded in more traditional and noisier way, but all the same it was pleasant to listen to. Low rumbling is filtered through the soft tape sound. From time to time it evolves into pulsating sound, torn by high frequencies, weird instrumental or noisy insertions. Truth is that there are places where it seems that noise is getting into chaotic state of random twiddling of knobs, but the track manages to get it's shape and direction pretty soon. This side was slightly weaker than the first one, but apart from couple of irritating places, rather interesting nevertheless. B side has 2 tracks on it though where one ends and another starts I have no idea. Anyway, this tape is interesting and weird release. After I've listened to some more fragments of Ataraxic Ataxia and watched live performances, this tape seemed to be the best what this project had to offer though maybe I'm wrong. A pleasant evening's surprise.

Format: CS
Released: 2010
Label: Side of the Sun
Edition: 25