Review – Nonconnah – The Gloom and The Glowing (Custom Made Music, 2016)

If your initial impression of Memphis, TN’s Nonconnah is that they sound remarkably like North Carolinian drone institution Lost Trail, pat yourself on the back: although Zachary and Denny Wilkerson Corsa have left both name and place behind, last year’s The Gloom & The Glowing CD-R proves that the fruits of their labour still boast many familiar and welcome flavours explored by their antecedent moniker.
The chemistry between the two continues, superseding any changes in terroir or tide which would threaten to overwhelm acts of lesser connection and potency, and longtime fans of their comprehensive body of work can rest easy in the knowledge that their rose – despite the grand implications stemming from a change of identity – smells just as sweet. But what of the thorns?
For those worried that the Corsas’ search for a new home would also find them laying roots in refinement, you’ll be pleased to know that their trademark noxious soundscapes and aural degradation flourish here in seamless abundance with all the beauty one’d expect. Indeed, the only thing Nonconnah have turned their backs on is the safety of a well-respected banner that they believe they’ve outgrown. And that’s the bravest move of all.
RIYL: Earn, Windy And Carl, hopeful sadness, yearning for ghosts.