Cassette Review: Black Thread "Seeping Pitch" (Invisible City Records)

[£4.50 // Edition of 50 // https://invisiblecityrecords.bandcamp.com/album/seeping-pitch]

For those unfamiliar with or who just don't care about sewing, black thread is typically used when sewing up holes in clothing because it tends to blend best with whatever fabric it is that you are trying to mend.    One of the main reasons why I think of most fabrics as being darker is because not only is it suggested that you don't wear white pants after Labor Day (Isn't it always after Labor Day though?) but it is also said that you shouldn't wear white pants after 1980-something (Thanks, "Never Been Kissed"!)   Plus, I mean, even if you had to patch up a hole in pink pants just imagine how much better black thread would look than white thread.

"Seeping Pitch" begins with sharp sonar sounds.   It goes into either water or space- I'm not sure which- and then takes on an X-Files type of eerie sound as it drones.   I can see this one being set in the woods somewhere in the dark, though that always brings me back to the episode of "The Simpsons" when they crossed over with The X-Files and Mr. Burns was an alien.    Static hues take us to the end of Side A and hopefully you don't read too much into my cartoon comparison here as this has a much more life-like feel I just can't find the source with which to compare it.   (Blair Witch took place in the woods but was awful so I won't go there, but you get the idea)

Ohms and synths bring out a strong start on the flip side.    It's spacey in its nature now.   Ambient whirrs can make you feel as if you are floating.   A short bit of bugzapper sounds take us to these somewhat choppy synths.     As it can feel like we are in space I just imagine being on a ride across the galaxy but by the end the ship sort of stalls and we're left perhaps dropping to the nearest surface but that isn't really explained it just kind of ends and you can use your own imagination to figure out where we go from there.

Whether the aliens are on earth or earthlings are in space the fact is that this mostly drone piece can be calming, terrifying and a thrill-ride all at the same time throughout different moments on the cassette.   It really is everything all at once though it never feels overbearing and in that sense I think the idea of Black Thread really stands true.    Everything just feels so perfectly woven together and Black Thread is obviously the only thing which could pull this off as such.