Boris, the eclectic Japanese band, have never made it easy for their fans. Known to release different versions of an album under the same title, multiple times (Heavy Rocks, Vein, Smile) they demand a focused attention from their listeners. Gensho, (Japanese for “phenomenon”) , their latest album, is no exception where Boris team up with frequent collaborator and noise artist Merzbow to release two separate discs that are meant to be played simultaneously. Inspired by a joint set in London back in 2014 where Boris played sans drummer with Merzbow the album can sound overwhelming in concept at first.

Individually the albums give entirely different experiences. Boris’s disc which is made up of re-recorded versions of past songs and a My Bloody Valentine cover (“Sometimes”) gains a floating quality in its drumless form. Alternating between drifting and ethereal (“Farewell”, “Akirama Flower”) and heavy droning (“Akame No Uta”,”Huge”) the music is minimal and spacious on it’s own. Merzbow’s side which is made of new compositions is chaotic and sounds at times like a synthesizer melting while left plugged in. Together the discs can yield mixed results but when it works they compliment each other perfectly with Boris providing a context to Merzbow’s noise who in turn adds a wild catharsis to the music. The beauty of this release is that it’s up to the listener to find the balance they prefer leaving it open to endless potential. Give them a mix below, play with the volumes and discover your own.