Listening to All My Music Chronologically: Abiku

Information on this mysterious band is scant- at least current information. We're talking MySpace here. Blog interviews from 2008. I used to read the Aural State blog regularly for local music; his review of the same album I listened to shows we are pretty much on the same page with this crazy/awesome experimental band. In case you were wondering, an Abiku is a spirit of a child that dies.

I'm NOT talking about THIS band.

I'm talking about THIS band.

They often performed covered from head to toe in shimmering blankets, so that sorta adds to the mystery. The only thing I could find streaming to listen to was a single album that I know I uploaded myself to the digital library. It is called Novelty, and it is labelled "Industrial," which I guess is close enough. I know they have other albums because a friend got a CD of theirs at a show that was a homemade live tour CD with Oregon Trail imagery; the last song is ALL the songs played at once. That's a pretty great trick, and let's you know what you're in for here. Thanks again to Aural States I know that Novelty is actually a compilation of demos and singles from 2002 through 2005, when the band was most active. (Also read that blog review for an insight into some of this band's intense lyrics.)

It is difficult listening at times, but damn it is good. The lady vocalist in the band, who alternates between creepy whispering and horrifying screams, also plays a Korg keytar - so I'm seriously asking: what could be better? There's only one other guy in the band (her partner?) and no drums- mostly keys, some thrashy guitar blasts, and delightfully sub-par drum machines. Plus they always seemed to have a live visualist- which helps enormously. OK, I guess it is Industrial. Some of the songs on Novelty are mere brief soundscapes, others are brutal rave-ups. It keeps you guessing - and I appreciate that. It reminds me of Suicide at times in that it pushes the boundaries of listenability in intriguing ways. I suppose it invites comparison to Jucifer too; they also seemed to have toured restlessly. When I saw them at the Wind-Up Space in Baltimore they covered NIN's "March of the Pigs," which is probably as mainstream as their influences get. I should mention that this was at a "NerdFest" show that my "band" Perverse Osmosis was playing and that our "production company" was curating. Abiku was at the top of our wish list to play, and through a mutual friend the connection got made. They didn't respond to any of our emails or promote the show in any way, but they showed up, blew everyone's minds, then disappeared.

I know other people have heard this band! They were part of the still(?) active MT6 noise scene in Baltimore. In fact, MT6 put out Novelty in a limited pressing of 1000 CDs. And they put out that live album in an extremely limited run of only 120!

Glorious.

I also went to their "tiny rave" on the Charles Street midway at Artscape in 2010. And then this wonderful moment happened. That's what it's all about! There was also a chillout room.

Where are they now? Still playing? In other bands? Hopefully somewhere shooting something dark into the cosmos...

* Update: I think she is in this band and currently touring. But of course there are multiple bands named Curse.

* Update 2: my friend uploaded pics of the out-of-print live album- it's real!