Podcast: Download (Duration: 45:33 — 104.3MB)
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Mans Best Friend is a droning, experimental harsh noise artist from the fibers of Orange, Australia resident, Rowan. After catching a live show whilst touring Japan between Friendship, The Body, and Full of Hell, Rowan swiftly acquired some baseline hardware to begin constructing monoliths of noise inspired by the bludgeoning bands he witnessed. He possessed no technical know-how of piecing tracks together, however, through unrelenting experimentation across a myriad of diurnal cycles, he eventually struck the tone fizzling in his skull.
At the outset, Rowan’s work was quite improvisational and it continues to harbor this luster. His debut release, Dog EP, shores up abstract industrial soundscapes as his roommate mulls about his day in the background of the dense, yet relaxing reverberations crafted by Rowan’s hands. From his auditory experiments, a keen sense of candidness also percolates. And amidst what sounds like unbridled chaos and static froth curdling on the surface, the baritone drones undulating underfoot lull you into a trance-like state. His latest split with Dead Twin is a testament to this quality. Monolithic in both tone and length, Rowan’s 25-minute piece strikes a nerve of solace. It’s one that caresses you in abrasive tones, yet ultimately cracks a disheveled window for you to view a despondent landscape of Rowan’s construction and reflect.
In this conversation, Rowan discusses the formulation of Mans Best Friend. He delves into his noise production process and expounds upon an intriguing concept for a full-length album he is currently pouring over: deus ex machina, where human technology is perceived as god as we turn to our phones and other devices for guidance and reassurance in our lives. Thank you so much for listening.
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You can peruse Mans Best Friend’s discography over at his Bandcamp page. There, you can acquire tapes of his fresh split with Dead Twin (he suggests grabbing a copy through him if you live outside of the U.S.). You can also follow him on Instagram to stay in the loop about new developments in his noise experiments.
You can access the raw, live recording of Mans Best Friend’s set by subscribing to us on our Patreon page. There, you can also gain access to album review notes and other podcast snippets not available on the website. Thank you for your continued support.
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