Cicada Trance (NO PART OF IT) by Dave Phillips is another instance of how he repurposes insect field recordings into a new and unearthly experience for our ears – the most extreme form, I suppose, was when he made Insect Apocalypse in 2015, or before that the Mutations record from 2010, both of which proposed nothing short of grotesque nightmares of insect horror.
Luckily Cicada Trance isn’t quite as horrific, but it seems he’s had these recordings in the bag since about 1995 after one of his trips to Thailand, enabling him to ruminate for many years about how he will weaponise these audio captures in his ongoing war against the human race. However, as title indicates, he may be aiming for something more life-affirming with these insufferable high-pitched sounds which last for over one hour and send most sensible people into a state of agitated despair. Not exactly a religious or spiritual trance state; he wants an altered condition of consciousness, maybe ultimately leading to the evolution of a new form of human being. Good luck with that.
This is the second disc in a set from this evil American label, of which disc one is titled Should A Seeker…and may include field recordings of the gecko and other reptilians, amphibians, and insects. It’s fair to say that this one takes us closer to the inhuman, alienating experience that I assume Phillips is aiming for; where some naturalists celebrate the beauty of nature in all its forms, he seems to find it threatening and ugly. Either that, or he treats his recordings until they sound that way, leaving the innocent listener in a troubled state, apparently surrounded by hostile forces. From 06/02/2024.