⚀⚁⚂⚃⚄⚅: 2011

"Also from Polyarmory comes a cassette release by Graham Lambkin of The Shadow Ring and co-conspirators, recording under the name Elklink. It's called The Rise of Elklink, and it's one odd puppy. I think the only source of sound is the human voice, but this voices are multilayered, slowed down, sped up, chopped into tiny pieces, turned into unrecognizable goo, etc. Shadow Ring fans will recognize the cadence of the opening track "Tension TEC" wich actually features words recognizable as words, but from there it just goes off the deep end. I was reminded of several things, such as the last half of Alvin Lucier's "I Am Sitting In A Room", those whispers-interludes on "We're Only In It For The Money" by The Mothers Of Invention, and various instances of "satanic" back-masking on psych-rock and heavy metal records (though Elklink don't need back-masking - they sound rather "satanic" when the tape is running forward). In any event, living in Miami Beach hasn't made Lambkin "soft"; Elklink is actually weirder than The Shadow Ring" Brad Sonder

Reissued by Lambkin's Kye label recently; grab it on vinyl while you still can...