Comments for Ground Zero (Japan), Null & Void

Ground Zero is an experimental group from Japan led by turntableartist/legend Otomo Yoshihide. Many would led to believed thatthis disc is a sonic collage made up by Otomo`s samples. This disc is much more than just that. Superficially speaking, this recordingis an experimentation of noise and music, or noise as music. Null and Void contained many hardcore compo-visation (ala Naked City, Painkiller etc) over dialogue samples ranging from Japan, Chinese and Hong Kong cinemas (two tracks were used in the soundtrack to a Chinese movie The Blue Kite which Otomo did the movie`s music) to snippnets of speeches from the Communist China`s cultural propanganda. The recording is a full on sample-noise-fest. Otomo`s use of sample is notsimilar to more "straight" hardcore outfits such as Ministry and (brace yourselves) Nine Inch Nails (bad comparisons, my apology) where samples are being used as just samples. Otomo`s clever usage of samples as a mean to communicate its meaning and its subtext along with the energy emmitted by the superb musicians push hard music and indeed music in general into boundaries unknown to conformed ears. Essential listening to those who have a keen ear on challenging music. Additional information: this disc is from the Tzadik label`s New Japan series which have strong affilation with John Zorn. This means the recordings are just brillant and militantly non-commercial. Interested should check out other recordings from the label and series suchas the Radical Jewish series (or something like that).