The Rita - Toe Cleavage

"With his flagship project, The Rita, Sam McKinlay has, for nearly two decades, explored and distilled into sound various permutations of fetish and vice. Recognized as the creator of wall noise, McKinlay's conceptual intent and the singular intensity of his focus established something novel and profound. McKinlay's compulsive reverence for noise is a fetish of sound. Frequently, McKinlay utilizes field recordings and other sounds sourced from the objects of interest before encrypting them in an opaque shell of noise. Listening to McKinlay's recordings, it's often difficult to determine whether one actually hears the sounds of the source material or if the power of suggestion is so strong that the listener extracts phantom sounds. In recent years, McKinlay has increasingly focused on the female form, particularly the modes of body augmentation that define classical femininity, such as make up, nylon stockings, etc. The progression of this focus culminated with the most archetypal projection of femininity in Western Culture: the ballerina, her feet, and her pointe shoes. The foot of a woman has long been identified as the most common source of unusual sexual preoccupation. 'Toe Cleavage' is the most comprehensive expression of McKinlay's recent endeavors. For the uninitiated, the term 'toe cleavage' refers to the display of the upper portions of toes in low cut shoes - an essential detail for many shoe designers. Across the seven tapes in this set, McKinlay, through his music, dissects, indulges, illustrates, and worships the feminine foot. To that end, McKinlay worked with Los Angeles based visual artist Olivia Burr and recording artist Kristin Hayter (Lingua Ignota). In addition to photographic contributions, Burr and Hayter provided much of the source material for McKinlay including: dance studio floor recordings; contact mic'd ballet shoes; and the repeated unboxing, unwrapping, trying on, walking in, and re-boxing of various designer shoes (Valentino, Miu Miu, etc.). Adding depth to the overall experience, McKinlay interspersed interludes throughout the recordings featuring audio samples derived from discussions and tutorials about pointe shoes, toe cleavage, and various designer ballet flat and stiletto reviews. This set of recordings is arguably McKinlay's most focused and obsessive effort to date and perfectly embodies the cultivated stylistic traits that have defined his work through the years. Seven-tape set come in a wooden box with a 16-page book, a colored poster, an insert drawn by Sam McKinlay in Ivory paper, and a sheet with notes. Edition of 99 (hand-numbered)." (Review from Forced Exposure. See here.)

A. Toe Technique 1 

B. Toe Technique 2 

C. Toe Cleavage Dialogue 

D. Ballet Flats 

E. Olivia Burr Sources 1 

F. Olivia Burr Sources 2 

G. Properly Walking In Pointe Shoes 

H. Properly Running In Pointe Shoes 

I. Chanel Ballet Flats 

J. Aquazzura Ballet Flats 

K. Ballet Flats Comfort 

L. Pointe Shoes Comfort 

M. Lingua Ignota Sources 1 

N. Lingua Ignota Sources 2 

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The Rita, NFW & Christian Nicolay - Atlantis

2011 split/collaboration between The Rita (Sam McKinlay), NFW (American harsh-noise artist better known under his Taskmaster moniker) and the relatively anonymous Christian Nicolay. The Rita and NFW join together for the A-side which is an extremely dense and overdriven noise wall assault. The B-side has harsh sections but is much more varied over the same ~25 minute running time, making use of dynamics and samples. The third track shared here is both sides played together, which also makes for great listening. Released as a double cassette run of one hundred copies on intriguing but apparently defunct US noise label Satan's Din.

A. The Rita & NFW - Water

B. Christian Nicolay - Fire

(AB). The Rita, NFW & Christian Nicolay - Water & Fire

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Kadaver - V-Day

Eight-part compendium by Israeli noise artist Michael Zolotov, combining his own remixes of original (and some unreleased) material with remixes by seven peers: Sweden's In Slaughter Natives, Americans Steel Hook Prostheses, The Vomit Arsonist and Richard Ramirez (Black Leather Jesus), Italian Davide Tozzoli (N.), Canadian Sam McKinlay (The Rita) and French wall maestro Romain Perrot (Vomir).The styles range from more industrial-oriented noise work (In Slaughter Natives, Steel Hook Prostheses) to the more extreme wall-noise of McKinlay and Perrot. Released on (presumably?) the artist's own T'an! Kaven!! Ash!!! label, which is a noise sublabel of  the broader industrial/neofolk The Eastern Front. Edition of one hundred CD collection, released in 2018 to commemorate the tenth anniversary of Kadaver's 'Kadaver's Valentines Greetings Release'. 

1.1. Kadaver - Heartshaped Torture

1.2. Kadaver - Funeral Escort Service

1.3. Kadaver - Love Hurts

1.4. Kadaver - For Lovers Everywhere

1.5. Kadaver - V

2.1. In Slaughter Natives - Heartshaped Torture

2.2. In Slaughter Natives - Funeral Escort Service

2.3. In Slaughter Natives - Love Hurts

2.4. In Slaughter Natives - For Lovers Everywhere

2.5. In Slaughter Natives - V

3.1. Steel Hook Prostheses - Heartshaped Torture

3.2. Steel Hook Prostheses - Funeral Escort Service

3.3. Steel Hook Prostheses - Love Hurts

3.4. Steel Hook Prostheses - For Lovers Everywhere

3.5. Steel Hook Prostheses - V

4.1. The Vomit Arsonist - Heartshaped Torture

4.2. The Vomit Arsonist - Funeral Escort Service

4.3. The Vomit Arsonist - Love Hurts

4.4. The Vomit Arsonist - For Lovers Everywhere

4.5. The Vomit Arsonist - V

5.1. N. - Heartshaped Torture

5.2. N. - Funeral Escort Service

5.3. N. - Love Hurts

5.4. N. - For Lovers Everywhere

5.5. N. - V

6.1. The Rita - Heartshaped Torture

6.2. The Rita - Funeral Escort Service

6.3. The Rita - Love Hurts

6.4. The Rita - For Lovers Everywhere

6.5. The Rita - V

7.1. Black Leather Jesus - Heartshaped Torture

7.2. Black Leather Jesus - Funeral Escort Service

7.3. Black Leather Jesus - Love Hurts

7.4. Black Leather Jesus - For Lovers Everywhere

7.5. Black Leather Jesus - V

8.1. Vomir - Heartshaped Torture

8.2. Vomir - Funeral Escort Service

8.3. Vomir - Love Hurts

8.4. Vomir - For Lovers Everywhere

8.5. Vomir - V

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Gilles de Rais Order - Ultimate Orgasm

Excellent harsh noise tape from the relatively obscure and short-lived project Gilles de Rais Order. There is little information available, but owing to the split produced with Keith Brewer's Mania and the source material on this tape (the B side) using material from Sam McKinlay's The Rita, we can assume this is a moniker of someone connected in the north American harsh noise scene. We're faced with a threatening low rumbling bed of tortured drone on top of which come wincing screeches. Released on American noise label Trash Ritual in 2006.

 

A. Ultimate Orgasm

B. Male Dominant

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Impregnable / The Rita

Split between noise masters Jeff Witscher (Impregnable) and Sam McKinlay (The Rita). Witcher's side begins with a tranquil ambient drone before blasting into a hefty sonic assault, and McKinlay's side features a more screeching and dynamic style of harsh noise than the HNW-like style the project is famed for. Released on Gordon Wilson Ashworth's (Oscillating Innards) Iatrogenesis Records as a double CDr set of fifty copies in 2005.

 

1.1. Impregnable - Lovely Musk

2.1. The Rita - Steele And Shepard Dark Passages

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An Innocent Young Throat-Cutter & The Rita - Wide-Eyed in the Dark

Collaboration between An Innocent Young Throat-Cutter (Richard Ramirez and various collaborators) and The Rita (Sam McKinlay). Themes seem to lend themself more to the manias of the former project: giallo movies, prostitute murder through a film noir lens, although they suit McKinlay's thematic world also. Includes an archival track ('French Sex Murders') from a former collaboration between the two artists, McKinlay remixing an Innocent Young Throat-Cutter track. Released on the excellent Singapore-based 4iB Records as a CD in an edition of 250 copies.

 

1. Red Cape Maniac

2. With Closed Eyes

3. French Sex Murders (Remix)

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The Rita / Necrotik Fissure

Split tape between Sam McKinlay's flagship project and Hungarian harsh noise impressario 'Inhos', who is behind The Level of Vulnerability label that released this tape (buy it digitally here), and various noise projects including Necrotik Fissure, which focuses on harsh noise wall, and Halalnihil (conventional harsh noise). Far from another droll European web artist (which looking at the volume of similar looking releases he has one might be forgiven for thinking), he has an impressive catalogue with collaborations with the status of The Haters, Vomir, The Rita, Torturing Nurse and Mania. The noise here is excellent with both artists offering powerful, texturally engaging work focusing on themes anyone familiar with McKinlays work will recognise: sharks, scuba diving and beautiful women.

 

A. Necrotik Fissure - Stargazer Fish

B. The Rita - Oceanic Whitetip Shark (And Women)

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The Rita - Lip Line

Unlike other promising new material (see splits with Skin Crime and Bacillus from last year, posted below), this 2019 release on Fall into Void Recs continues Mr. McKinlay's unfaltering obsession with the use of makeup and ballet tutorials from YouTube as source audio for HNW. This isn't to say this isn't an enjoyable release; the stuttering, extremely dense fuzz assault is satisfying in a way that only this project can provide. 

A. Lip Line I
B. Lip Line II

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Macronympha / The Rita - Sucking the Toes of the Creature Female (Nylon Electricity)

Split from the two monolithic noise forces. The Rita side (the tracks go in opposite order to the listing of the artists on the cover) is a punchy rumbling wall of fetishistic audio angst, while the Macronympha side creates a similar effect through medium pace drones and screeches, alternating in a pleasingly obtuse and jagged fashion. Released as an edition of 50 in 2018 on Leonardo Sabatto's Bizarre Audio Arts label (he is also a veteran of the scene, recording under the alias Armenia).

A. The Rita - Untitled
B. Macronympha - Untitled

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The Rita - Magazine

"Originally released as a limited-edition double cassette on Swedish label Abisko in 2005, 'Magazine' has since become a near-legendary album, considered by many to be the finest recording from pioneering harsh noise artist The Rita (and equally celebrated for its iconic artwork, featuring a Big Muff effects pedal acting as the magazine for a machine gun). 'Magazine' contains 80 minutes of militant noise music, with Sam McKinlay pushing the limits of extreme sound until they begin to implode. Drawing influence from abstract painters such as Ad Reinhardt and Kazimir Malevich, the four tracks on 'Magazine' are progressively deconstructed, slowly taking the dynamic sonic elements away until the last track is a linear/minimalist 'wall' of texture and crunch. Ultimately the hope is that under a microscope the same slowly deteriorating audio dynamism and viciousness from the first three tracks is still present, just found within the walls of linear crunch during the last track, 'Obsession.' A study in brutality, density, and focus, 'Magazine' tests the listener, challenging them to fully engage with the shifting layers of sound that, through careful study, continually expand beyond their seemingly minimalist form. This militant approach to sound became a call to action for a generation of noise artists who were influenced by The Rita, and 'Magazine' has finally been reissued for all to hear." (From the online notes to the 2019 New Forces reissue.)

A. Magazine 1
B. Magazine 2
C. Magazine 3
D. Obsession

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Bacillus / The Rita - Collimators, The Ocean

Split from US-based pandemic themed noise project Bacillus and noise veteran The Rita released on the latter's Lake Shark Harsh Noise label last year (possibly some left to buy if you go here). On his site, McKinlay describes the Bacillus side in the following way: "The legendary Bacillus envelopes himself in the world of medical radiation with some of his most dense material yet." For The Rita side: "The Rita observes the ocean of Solaris while processing pre-recorded deep ocean samples." This combination of themes is fascinating and, as I have mentioned here before, it's good to see McKinlay returning to his oceanic themes in favour of another foot fetish-themed album. Alongside the description, the following text is given:

"Radiation induced ionizations also directly damage the cellular molecules and can indirectly produce free radicals, which are derived from the ionization of the water component of the cells, which then attach themselves to the mutated genes, damaging it and causing cell death."

"Genius and mediocrity alike are dumbfounded by the teeming diversity of the oceanic formations of Solaris; no man has ever become genuinely conversant with them."

"The nails, still surrounded by traces of clotted blood, had regrown.  There was a pink scar in the hollow of her palm, but even the scar was healing, disappearing in front of my eyes."
 
A1. Bacillus - Conformal Irradiation Of Gene Mutations
A2. Bacillus - Cancerous Growth Arrested By Stereotactic Radiosurgery
A3. Bacillus - Tomotherapy For Tumor Metastasis Containment
A4. Bacillus - Collimators Delivering Intensity-Modulated Radiation
B. The Rita - Natalya

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The Rita & Skin Crime - Maggie Evans

Collaboration from Sam McKinlay and veteran US three piece Skin Crime. Released on Patrick O'Neil's Self Abuse Records label (he performs in Skin Crime). It's nice to see a return to old slasher movies as a theme from Sam, as opposed to another questionable foot fetish focus. This is dense, rumbling harsh noise, verging on harsh noise wall without being monotonous. 

A. Maggie
B. Jossette

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The Rita & The Cherry Point - Breast Mutilation

Two of the progenitors of the contemporary harsh noise wall style collaborate. An immense, turbo-charged wall of sound that carves a destructive ever-growing, ever-changing path over 20 minutes. Released in 2006 on Troniks, the US-based label of Phil Blankenship (The Cherry Point).

A. Breast Mutilation

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