Merzbuddha

Merzbow | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 19, 2005)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Important Records
• ASIN: B0007VF1UG
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #502,086 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Mantra 1 - Merzbuddah

2. Mantra 2 - Merzbuddah

3. Mantra 3 - Merzbuddah

Editorial Reviews

What did you listen to last summer? Masami Akita, otherwise known as Merzbow, spent most of his summer listening to Horace Andy, Studio One, Dennis Bovel, Keith Hudson and a whole pipe-full of other dub mavericks. That’s probably why this brand new full-length, with cover art by Jenny Akita, is dripping with deep bass riffage and a whole lot of electronic dub vibes and beats. Merzbuddha is third in the series of Merz-titled releases following in the audio footsteps of the flagship release Merzbeat. With the same reverence for crushing analog beats, weaving noise textures and a compositional complexity, Masami Akita switches direction and dubs it up. Imagine The New Blockaders in an audio blender with King Tubby and you’re not even halfway there.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars merzbow is important, June 20, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Merzbuddha (Audio CD)

While not my favorite merzbow album (i think the earlier Important Records' release Merzbeat is far superior), I do think this makes for a nice album. I find it helpful for lulling me into a trance. Good afternoon relax music. I put it on and read comix or novels or make artwork. I think the connection to dub is a little over-emphasized. Sure, he uses lots of delay, but not necessarily moe than other albums - and had there been no mention of "dub" on Important's release info, I don't think I would have made the connection necessarily.

This is more closely related to Pan Sonic than a lot of the other merzbow albums he's made. the three pieces are somewhat indistinguishable (they're called Trance 1, Trance 2 and Trace 3), though I think the 3rd is the best. Skittering beats, bleats, noise, harshness building, rumbling, bumbling, breaking, ending. A natural progression for merzbow, but nothing too revolutionary for his sound.

Bottom line: if you're a merzbow (or noise) fan, and especially if you like his more recent use of computers and beats, check this one out. if you don't like noise, this ain't the album that's gonna convert you. better get some barry manilow instead. if you don't own the Merzbeat album, i would suggest getting that one instead.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wow, you could actually meditate to some of this..., November 6, 2007

By 

J. Bjorne (Huntsville, AL. USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Merzbuddha (Audio CD)

Okay, so I've heard a lot of Merzbow. I own more Merzbow than any sane person should. I finally put this one on today and was totally floored. I've heard enough Merzow to know that he doesn't do just steady screeches of noise for a hour or twelve. Some releases are shaded differently (merzbeat with more of what sounds like guitar and drums), but Merzbuddha blew me away, especially the first track. Want to talk about a deep and hypnotic rumble? This is the first Merzbow album that I've gone back to and hit replay on as soon as it finished the first time. I'm really glad I finally listened to this album, in my opinion it is his best. But then again, maybe tomorrow I'll listen to one of the other 20 I still haven't heard and like one of them better. The influence of dub on this album is very pronounced, but its not a 'dub' album. If you've heard any dub, you'll know what I'm talking about if you hear track one. The other two tracks are solid, but that first track is worth the price of the disc in my opinion, and its around 21 minutes. The disc is about 59 mins long, you get some bang for your buck, but then again, you always do with Merzbow.

5.0 out of 5 stars Merzbow At His Best, January 29, 2007

By 

Brien Comerford (Glenview, Illinois United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Merzbuddha (Audio CD)

A magnificent and eclectic Merzbow CD replete with both blistering and mellow sounds, music and full-blown creative noise. His animal rights and vegan era releases have been the most exemplary of his career. Mantra 1, Mantra 2 and Mantra 3 are the titles on this CD which has a spiritual side to it. All post 2000 Merzbow CD's are stellar and he composes for a very humane cause, namely, animal rights.