I’ve got listener fatigue. New music hits a wall right behind my eardrum. I want more, but my body is telling me to stop. The solution is silence, or in sparring moments, turning on records that have become ingrained in my subconscious, existing like thin wallpaper. Musical cynicism is the first sign to look out for when trying to self-diagnose listener fatigue. There will be no joy, only shallow critique fueled by your own frustration over your inability to digest new sounds. This isn’t about me, though. You didn’t ask for it when you clicked on this article.
How about this: Michul Kuun has two tapes out, one with an accompanying video. Maybe I can connect this to my own problem. The primal sound of Kuun’s jazz licks on dampened floor times, layered over thin soundscapes is sort of similar to listener fatigue. The sound is irritating, like an itch in the ear canal. Not quite noise, but definitely grainy. Kuun’s beats are heavy and not always easy to figure out. Don’t forget about that cynicism. The video for Stayed Inside Today has Kuun smoking in a small apartment while the gray skies outside his apartment shapeshift into nothing spectacular. He’s tired, just like me.
When listener fatigue hits, I’m almost relieved. I feel comfortable not challenging myself with new music. Sometimes I need a break from these TMT jams. Maybe there’s fatigue hidden behind these two tapes. Maybe not. For the first time in a few weeks, I did enjoy turning the lights out and letting these songs push me around a little.
Stream Stayed Inside Today, and Hold Me No Break Me Fall on Michul Kuun’s Bandcamp.
More about: Michul Kuun, NAH
