CHORE IA: Postscriptum/Neogolizmowa

Release year: 2023
Label: Zoharum/Antenna Non Grata

Experimentalism is a tough nut. Sometimes you get it right, sometimes you don’t. Maybe, when it comes to experimental music, sometimes it’s up to the listener. At any rate, Polish Chore Ia’s fresh release is a prime example of both happening: experimentation that works, and experimentation that doesn’t.

This is an interesting release for another reason, as well: the two disc album compiles together Postscriptum, an entirey new album recorded quite recently, and the one man project’s first release, Neogolizmowa, from 1995. So in a way, it’s a circle completing itself.

Starting with disc one, the new album Postscriptum kicks the proceedings off. It’s a weird album of nerve grinding clanging, ticking, whirring and high frequency ringing, underneath which there is a lot of in itself very passable dark ambience. I wouldn’t call this purebred dark ambient by any means, but a lot of the time Postscriptum fits most snugly in that compartment. Drawn out, slowly evolving layers; abstract shape and form; no melodic elements to speak of. Yeah, sounds a lot like dark ambient.

Beware of headaches, though. The sonic landscape heavily leans towards higher, more piercing frequencies – without being an overload of feedback or some such – which can really, really grate the listener’s ears and cause unpleasant cranial throbbings.

Neogolizmowa on the second disc is of an entirely different nature. It is much more musical, although far from conventional: the experimental, avantgarde nature of Chore Ia takes the form of weird, disjointed, seemingly clumsy but clearly musical compositions here. Take for example WalczyQ: a sloppy, hackneyed.. waltz! Especially the violin heard on it sounds out of tune and out of shape in a way that can only be described as infuriating.

And sadly, where on Postscriptum the experimental nature of Chore Ia works at least some of the time, Neogolizmowa comes across only as frustrating, annoying, infuriating and aggravating. Listening to these weird, disjointed tracks is just a… well, a chore! Another example: Mito. The combination of strummed acoustic guitar and singing could be nice, but the sound is horrible, the playing sounds clumsy and the singing isn’t anything to write home about either. Argh.

The resulting double CD album is one that truly is an ordeal to sit through. With its running time of almost two hours, Postscriptum/Neogolizmowa takes a heavy toll on the listener. The first disc has its flaws and can truly grate one’s nerves, but still features moments with real appeal. The second disc, on the other hand… not so much.

According to the old saying, sometimes less is more. In this case, less truly would have been more. Flaws and all, Postscriptum isn’t a bad release. As a standalone album, it would have been decent. If you ask me, Neogolizmowa would have been better left on deteriorating tapes from the mid-90’s. It truly lessens the whole.

Visit Chore Ia on Bandcamp