In the past on this site, when NIN news gets slow, we stretch our scope to encompass somewhat related bands, be they the works of former members of the live band, or the work of people who've remixed NIN tracks (back when NIN remix CDs still happened.)
Today we're touching base with a project by Turk Dietrich, who contributed to Things Falling Apart with Josh Eustis under the name benelli. On February 7th, his project with Michael Jones, titled Belong, releases their debut album, October Language. We received a few emails about this, then Josh recommended it to me, and I was sent a copy to check out.
As a somewhat casual fan of ambient music (with copies of Selected Ambient Works 2, Time Machines, and a disc by Oval, if that counts), this CD really appeals to that fuzzed out, melodic droney section of my listening palette.
I'm going to cheat and copy & paste from the press release, because I think it does justice to the album without sounding too terribly wanky: 'Following in the tradition of bands like My Bloody Valentine and Gas, guitars, synths and other musical sources are wrenched from their typical tones, revealing themselves in bright shards of distortion. Melodies are similarly enveloped in a sort of aural atrophy, forever repeating their blurring calls.'
It's a really serene album that plays well both quietly, and at inappropriately loud volume. If you want to have a listen, Amazon.com's taking preorders at $13.99, but you can probably get it for less straight from the record label, once they add it to the shop.
And thanks to the generosity of Turk Dietrich, we're giving you a chance for a free copy. No jumping through hoops, you've read this far, now just enter your email address for a chance at a random drawing (details on that page).
And now, back to our regularly scheduled slow period.