Not disagreeing to be cool
James Greene | where I am | 09/30/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I appreciate the fact that two other people have actually taken the time to write reviews on a nearly 10 yr old noise cd.
The collage that Merzbow makes is truly objective, either noise music sounds good to an individual or not, and Merzbow is quite far and away the best in this field, Im sure the other reveiwers would agree.
My experience with Rainbow Electronics II was one of sheer bliss from the first time I heard it. I was into college and listening to all sorts of ambient including Autechre, Dead Voices on Air, Lab Report, Namanax and Throbbing Gristle (for reference). I was heavily into imagry of the Jackson Pollack, the industrial revolution, Geiger and bio-mechanical art. Rainbow Electronics II was the perfect soundtrack to the near fetishism I had with this imagery at this time.
It is true, that other albums are more 'polished' and yet relentless with their compositions. But that is where REII shines. The soft tones and silences lull you into a state of calm to then be throttled by some of the rawest sounds Merzbow has recorded. Yet the balance between high and low sounds is nearly perfect, the sheer raw brutality of the sonic landscape has nearly been unequalled since.
It's for its nakedness and the almost zen sense that this album has that it is my favorite of all Merzbow albums.
I may also point out Pulse Demon as another excellent Merzbow album that is raw but slightly opposed to REII.
I would also recommend Masonna and K2 if you are beginning your journey into this art form."
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James Greene | 03/11/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Rainbow Electronics 2 is from the early 90s, if I'm not mistaken. It's solid and interesting material, which utilizes moments of silence and unusual breaks to a much greater degree than later discs like Pulse Demon, Hybrid Noisebloom, etc. However, after 20 minutes or so it just starts to feel a bit too random and choppy, and additionally, the sonic quality of the noise isn't quite as rich as newer material. I prefer the late-90s powerwash stuff to the tracks presented here, but it will still be a worthwhile investment for any aspiring Merzbow collector."
Intriguing
Robert P. Beveridge | Cleveland, OH | 11/07/2000
(3 out of 5 stars)
"This is the first album in a number of years where Merzbow utilizes silence and ambient sound, rather than the solid wall of chaos style that he adopted just before his late-80s collaborations with Achim Wollscheid. I wondered if my copy had scratches in it the first time I listened. (This is a good thing.) Akita uses the softer areas of this CD to highlight the loud bits, making them seem even nastier than usual. Still, it seems as if something's missing here. It doesn't have the same "finished" (for lack of a better term-- my apologies) quality as do some of the other albums released around this time, most notably Venereology. Another that is best purchased by those who have already developed a love for the master, and best avoided by those who haven't been exposed yet. There are few enough fans of noise as it is."
