Stefan Jaworzyn

Drained of Connotation

Blackest Ever Black

Street: 02.18

Stefan Jaworzyn = Black Dice + Wolf Eyes

If you consider yourself a noise aficionado, then chances are that you know who Stefan Jaworzyn is. Being a once-prominent member in the ’80s UK experimental underground (with contributions in Ascension and Skullflower) before dropping off the grid, Drained of Connotation is Jaworzyn’s official proclamation of rising from his hiatus to resume his atonal passion. However, unlike his previous projects, Jaworzyn’s new album is shallow, layer-wise—all of the tracks are comprised only of a drum machine and monolithic synthesizer effects with the occasional brain-busting oscillation. As talented as Jaworzyn is, the album’s instrumental modesty unfortunately negates its replay value, but, to be fair, replay value is something far from the mind of the average noise musician. Although his previous endeavors are more noteworthy, Jaworzyn’s Drained of Connotation is too void of variation to attract anybody except the diehards and fanboys. –Gregory Gerulat