As the UK Summer fades once more, new Bristol-based record label SCI-FACT are opening their electronic account with a debut 12” from British artist Zobol. Unrestricted by genre, the imprint will be sending forth a slew of releases, focused on championing an underground sound as defined by raw, local talent.
‘Foreign Objects‘ EP takes inspiration from a frankly terrifying sequence of events culminating in a near death experience. After a problematic wisdom tooth removal in the UK, Jon travelled solo to Panama on the back of a week of zero food and constant pain.
A Panamanian dentist reviewed the work and swiftly had him admitted to the adjacent hospital with sepsis, due to two shards of metal (from a dental drill) being accidentally sewn into his jaw. Jon describes the experience as “the single hardest most painful experience of my life so far”. Fortunately the operation and its aftermath were successful, and Jon has used the ordeal as a positive stimulus for the record. The artwork depicts a CT scan revealing the ‘foreign objects’ that once resided in his cranium.
The title track launches the EP with frenetic gusto, a shrill alarm-like synth and punchy percussion instilling a melodic, electro equivalence that pervades the ambience. The underlying chords have a Darkestral air about them, evoking bittersweet memory but also creating an unadulterated energy to be reckoned with.
A subtle but pertinent vocal covertly lies in the track’s background, disseminating the vocoded message “You’ve got metal in your face, there’s no time to waste”. Jon has unequivocally turned the worst experience of his life into a rhythmic awakening, resulting in a sinister yet immensely enticing debut EP.
‘Foreign Objects’ EP is scheduled for release 20 September via SCI-FACT. Order a copy from Bandcamp.
TRACKLIST
1. Foreign Objects
2. Track & Trace
3. Descending
4. Diagnosis Error
5. Asymmetry
Discover more about Zobol and Sci-Fact Records on Inverted Audio.