Telegraphs in Negative / Mouths Trapped in Static

telegraphs in negative/mouths trapped in static is the 2nd album from 13-piece Montreal-based collective set fire to flames, and it was released in April 2003.

According to the group, the album was founded in a situation of self-imposed isolation, operating both individually and communally in states of little or no sleep, in varying levels of intoxication, and in physical confinement.

Reading that recording process makes me physically uncomfortable to think about, and if I'm being honest... this album perfectly captures that feeling and so much more emotions in the span of it's 80+min runtime.

Looking at that artwork, it's quite chilling to me. It feels like I'm staring at an image from a hostage scene or a someone's descent into paranoia (reminding me of the 1965 film Repulsion).

Much like the cover, the amount of different vibes I got throughout this were mostly unnerving in terms of imagery:

- The stingy feeling of sinking towards the bottom of a frozen lake at night

- Wandering through an abandoned building with a walkie-talkie and the voices from the dead start to pick up on the frequencies

- Being trapped in the woods alone like The Blair Witch Project

- Never recovering from a state of grieving, still remembering that day you said goodbye to your loved ones

- Listening to a street performer in an alley as you're heading to meet your friends

- Remembering the time you're parents played you your first record as a child and holding that memory with you ever since

- sharp plucks of a guitar feeling like a predator lurking towards its prey

- An intruder banging on your door trying to break in

- sleeping as you look up at the sky and remember the best times you've had throughout your life and realise everything was good despite some tragic moments here and there

- Seeing an orchestra on a winter's evening that can only be experienced once and never feel the same again

- Saying goodbye to the world at the end of the journey when all your best memories fade away with you

I've never heard a more dark, unsettling and emotional album like this since I heard F#A#oo, it actually nearly scared me.

telegraphs in negative/mouths trapped in static is among the darkest of albums I've listened to. But every single little detail present throughout this album is something special to create a sonic nightmare of isolation & sadness, and it does that with such flair that it never once let me go with its cold pain-driven beauty.

Fantastic experience, but not one to experience at night unless you want to have nightmares.