Track Listing

1. Blank Clank
2. Smooth as Silk
3. Sunk Fence
4. This Machine Kills
5. Antechamber
6. Accu/Ammo
7. Cut the King (Jumbled vers.)

          By now most people are probably familiar with Germany's ant-zen, a diverse label synonymous with two important things: quality and innovation. For those of you unaware of the thriving ant hill, hopefully this will provide you with a brief glimpse of what you're missing.
          Silk Saw is the duo of Marc Maedea and Gabriel Severin, and "Preparing Wars" follows a pair of releases on Belgium's Sub Rosa label. They create a bare, dense and abstract form of music that is skilfully drawn out in lengthy compositions. Some of it even reminds me of the percussive musical "Stomp".
          "Preparing Wars" isn't nearly as harsh as the title might suggest. The carefully constructed, slow moving tracks are textural, melodic, and rhythmic. At times static infused beats creep into the mix, which is the case with the first track, "Blank Clank". This is a complex clash of slow motion break beats and a dense backdrop of cackles and drones.
          Some tracks feature some interesting abstract percussion while others lack a beat entirely and consist of mainly drones and odd instrumentation. The second track, "Smooth as Silk", is basically a simple low-key organ and a faint engine hum, all centred around a slow collection of percussive noises that fall somewhere into the grey area between orderly and sporadic.
          Each of these seven instrumental tracks has a serious tone to it, and they're written in an infectious style that grabs your attention and holds your interest. Smooth and minimal, ambient yet percussive, "Preparing Wars" can best be described as intelligent noise.

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