Somewhat aimless experimentation
Part of the joy of music is that one never has to justify their output to another person. While the interviews and reviews will certainly come, and they will attempt to give a justification for the choices an artist makes, there doesn’t need to be a reason beyond “it was cool.” At the same time, unless something truly is that cool or is so absolutely compelling, can it go beyond a need for explanation. Unfortunately for SpermChurch’s latest record, merdeka atau mati, the experimentation on the album isn’t bold enough to surpass the need for explanation. When listening to the record itself, the reasons for its existence are not entirely clear.
The album kicks off with a track housing the most jarring moment, setting a tone that will not be met by any of the following tracks. The 33-second “The Unrestricted Gaze” explodes into one’s ears like a nuclear meltdown, boasting a wide array of trap instrumentals and hip-hop samples. The braggadocious track defies expectations in a way that is both exciting and flummoxing. But then the transition into “What Street Is This” does nothing with that confusion. It simply leaves it there as the record begins to settle into a groove of electronic music that is odd enough to be experimental but not so odd that it redefines any perspectives.
Sometimes the album does buck this trend and creates some truly memorable moments. For instance, “Ovary Looping” has some of the fleshiest, most compelling sounds on this side of a SOPHIE release, but even then, it runs out of ideas and concludes after only a single minute. The track that follows it is “A Puzzle & Not Intended For Use,” which apes the fast-paced, percussive style of footwork, chopping it into bits and playing it at a stuttered, off-tempo pace. Listening to the track, one can hear the idea behind it and picture SpermChurch in the studio asking, “what if we?” But unfortunately, it doesn’t really reach a point where it is an effective commentary on the genres it borrows from, nor does it build upon the genre in a way that makes for a wholly satisfying listening experience. Like much of what takes place on merdeka atau mati, it simply is, and just existing isn’t good enough in a world so drowned in music to pay attention to.
Ultimately, even once people have crawled through tracks like “Which Ways the Arrows Point” and “Put The Baby Online,” both of which incorporate some more compelling sounds than other tracks on the record, people are left wondering if there could have been something more. When it comes to albums like merdeka atau mati, one expects to either be transported to a fantastical locale or to a world of sounds that are so alien that they boggle the mind. SpermChurch does neither, leaving listeners with an album that feels full of ideas that needed more time to mature. As the record exists, it feels more aimless than one would hope.
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