#291 | May 2008

Outer Limits

NEW HUMANS
AKA - Vito Acconci / New Humans / C. Spencer Yeh

"It can't be a coincidence that this up and coming NYC noise-improv duo's moniker is so phonetically similar to that of The Blue Humans, guitarist Rudoplh Grey's last active entity before he disappeared on an extended leave of absence. But rather than the heavily expressionist drums/dual guitar blare of 1992's Clear To Higher Time (Grey's memorable parting shot), "You In The Background" juxtaposes a carefully modulated racket with furiously sawing violin courtesy of Burning Star Core's C Spencer Yeh. Vito Acconci, these days more rambling pensioner than Seed Bed provocateur, contributes portentiously intoned, garbled phraseology. A shard-spraying Yeh solo opens "Double Negative", later drenched by salvoes of noise which shift haphazardly but quite unexpectedly, suggesting these two may well be on to something. Exactly what I'm not sure, and I don't think they are either. But something nonetheless."

-Nick Cain