Masonna – The Passion Of Rubbers

Cascades of electronic noise, a psychedelic touch and vocal belching mixed together constitute the ingredients of Mademoiselle Anne Sanglante Ou Notre Nymphomanie Auréolé, the double-barreled name for Masonna. Maso Yamazaki founded his project in 1987, with a charismatic and glamorous personality who become a cult figure in “Japanoise” scene. Masonna’s abundant productions on his own legendary and astonishing label Coquette were presented in very limited edition, sometime totally confidential (one sole copy), and reflect his predilection for 60’s psychedelic music revisited in its own very peculiar way. He transforms his voice into noise, feeding the microphone back through a process of extreme distortion. His shouts become clipped bursts of overloaded sound, doubled and extended by a delay that displace the sounds into stuttered blasts of static.

The question of what’s one’s favorite item from their collection (or accumulation) consistently pops up in conversations amongst fans and collectors, and this unquestionably is always my answer. From head-to-toe, insert-to-tape, all elements are in glorious harmony and conversation with what another. Having the G.R.O.S.S. label’s ’industrial design’ fetish/obsession (some would say a relatively antiseptic departure from much of the other noise tapes of the time) articulating the sexualized rubber/bondage theme is a fantastic intersection, and one, to my knowledge, not touched upon again as overtly by the label (the subtle rope-play of The Three Temples excluded). The presentation truly is the content, and vice-versa; a unique trait in the young but deep legacy of Noise tape packaging. I marvel at the object’s concrete refined sense of pruriency – the particular choice of patterned rubber material, the ornamental silver, the crude claw of staples holding the fucker together – all without resorting to pre-fabricated means (for example Dildo & the Dildoes releasing a tape hanging from a vibrator or something). Every time I’ve slowly and carefully undone the buckle, hear the crack of Velcro, pried the rubber shell open, and later meticulously sealed up its intricacies once I’m finished, the process has felt like nothing less than ritual. Moving on to the actual tapes themself – double C10 – another perfect choice; four parts of “acidtronics” – a concise statement forced by physical circumstance. I’ve always been a sucker for increments of twenty minutes on cassettes (in this case the total program being twenty), as well as short tapes, maybe because they focus on what truly matters – how the ‘side flip’ is handled: a similarity with others’ obsession with 7-inch singles. Parts One, Two and Four offer ‘live takes’, uncut and ramming full speed, differing from the intense cut up techniques reported on other studio efforts from the time period; just organic velocity. A fucking monolithic vacuum cleaner sucking up all bullshit ‘good time’ posturing, headbands and peace signs, and blowing them into a rubber isolation suite filled with sex gas so that one can truly get deep and “well-acquainted” with the finer onanistic details. The Third part/side is a relative anomaly, a marked contrast – echoed out spacious synth bells – the tense and the delicate sharing opposite sides of the same space as the brutish and primal. Simple but effective sequencing; a crucial piece that bare all intentions behind the churning sonic mass surrounding. Taken inside as a whole, the four side shape a massively pleasing and dynamic curve. Absolutely ‘psych’ – psychosexual and psychedelic. A ++, five star, two thumbs up, four spurting cocks and all that.

C. Spencer Yeh – AS LOUD AS POSSIBLE Issue One 2010 on Masonna – The passion of Rubbers 2 x C10 cassette

This astonishing double tape printed in 144 numbered copies is reissued on vinyl in only 110 hand numbered copies. The first two tracks of side A are monolithic, ancestral; the planets roar in the infinite silence of the deepest space and sudden crashes hit you with all their destructive power. The use of the pedals and the echo is impressive, nothing is left incomplete, with the feedbacks that cut through the air already saturated with crackles and then the sudden speed changes leave you pleasantly stunned. Time stops and the ten minutes of side A seem to multiply in an endlessly repeated cycle and when you have finished listening you are exhausted. Passion – 3 opens the B side of the record with pure psychedelia! The echoes, synths and reverberations of the bells recall Timothy Leary‘s acid travels with Ash Ra Tempel; Kosmische Musik landed in the nation of the rising sun! It remains an unusual and unique track in the vast discography of the Japanese artist and opens up new scenarios for projects completely dedicated to synths in the following years.But the next track that closes the album throws you without a moment’s respite into the primal chaos! And so the circle started on side A finally closes.

LP comes in very special handmade rubber cover with silver ribbon and glossy adhesive tag, wood plate, two inserts with original projects by Akifumi Nakajima and hand numbered cardboard. Include an exclusive download code for digital album.

This reissue is also an homage to G.R.O.S.S. label and his ‘’boss’’ Akifumi Nakajima and unquestionably one of our favorite releases of the year. This is a stone-cold killer record that can’t be missed.