Having spent half of my life here in Sweden, I feel like I recognize the tone of Maskinkultur’s output - there’s a very Swedish and quirky aspect to the titles and descriptions that remind me of certain local media satirists (For example, “Löpsäglar”, if you are wondering). The track titles and descriptions make for a very amusing read. We are urged not to take it too seriously, so prepare to be entertained with such local topics as Swedish sausages, rampaging moose and various mushroom references.
Several tracks are grouped together or in pairs based, apparently, on the same idea and musical starting point. Expect traditional Swedish orchestral instruments combined with punishing digital loops and repetition, industrial textures and plenty of generally crushed bits. There’s an occasionally medieval feel to some of the tracks, particularly the ones in minor keys - these are my favourite, personally (“Det svenska musikdundret” is one). Some of the elements remind me of Dead Can Dance’s instrumentation for example, albeit thrown into a cement mixer and played on a broken CD player…!
"Svamparna växer så det knakar men aktien faller” (“The mushrooms are growing like mad, but shares are falling”) is self-proclaimed “cibo” for the most part - composed industrial breakcore orchestral. There’s a sonic connection to a favourite of mine - Venetian Snares - but without the darkness, mostly, or aggression. In fact, the album overall does, for all its crushing, glitching and blending, come across as quite summery and whimsical. And as I mentioned, very Swedish… This is also a technically accomplished album in its composition and mixing. For my part, I felt that some of the traditional instruments did sound a little thin for my taste - but it’s entirely possible that this is intentional and, I suppose, in keeping with the lighthearted nature of the work.
Certain phrases and moments hit me quite ecstatically, such as the beginning, Swedish-folky minutes of “Dina ögon faller som stenar” (Maskinkultur says: “It’s not a poem by Bruno K. Öijer, but it kinda could have been”). Especially so as they are bulldozed unceremoniously out of the way by an immense and bassy frenzied glitch attack. Love it! “Dina ögon...” Is the last track on the album and does a nice job of summing up the best bits of the entire album. After the intro, we are back in the familiar folk-tinged industrial glitch onslaught - perhaps upped a notch for the finale. It’s obvious that Maskinkultur have a pretty good command of their highly experimental palette of noise and traditional folk orchestra sounds. Pretty exhilarating when all is said and done.
