Pharmakon – Abandon (2013)

June 2, 2021

Pharmakon is a lass that knows how to invoke a creepy atmosphere or six. Long before Lingua Ignota brought screaming into the mic under the mainstream light, Pharmakon was churning out gorgeously disgusting power electronics like it was nobody’s business. What I love the most about Pharmakon is that there is no need to wallow in the depths of endless distortion in order to create chaotic or unsettling soundscapes. Yes, these are often clear and all-encompassing tracks that hold back on the distortion front (compared to most noise) and still manage to pummel you in the face with all sorts of unsettling feelings. The “bonus track” here, a near-30-minute bad dream, is the icing on the cake.