July 26, 2004 by A.S. Van Dorston

Formed in 1986 as a Napalm Death cover band, Bark Psychosis made huge creative leaps with a series of EPs, updating their influences to Joy Division, Swans, and contemporary Talk Talk. By the time keyboardist Daniel Gish from Disco Inferno joined and they released the improvisational Scum EP in 1992, they were uncategorizable. That is, until Simon Reynolds made up the post-rock label for them and like-minded but not sounding Disco Inferno, ‘O’Rang, Seefeel and others. Then after their sole album, 1994’s Hex, they broke up. Graham Sutton went on to immerse himself in drum ‘n’ bass with Boymerang. Perhaps reaching a creative cul-de-sac, he exhumed Bark Psychosis with mostly different personnel, including, significantly, Talk Talk/‘O’Rang’s Lee Harris on drums and percussion.

Five years in the making, ///Codename: Dustsucker shares Hex’s lush atmospherics and vocals, but is rather a lateral move than progression. Not that it sounds dated. Bark Psychosis remains inimitable due mainly to its abstraction. There is little structure to make blueprints from, no hooks to cop or obvious melodies to crib. Propelled by compelling, vaguely worldbeat percussion, ambient sounds, vocals and occasional samples drifting in an out like a dream, these tunes incorporate a panoply of sounds. Will-o-wisp synths, a melodica, vibraphone, sindhi tamboura, bowed guitar, piano, E-mu and “found” drums and trumpet are painstakingly woven together with elegant transitions. Around the middle of the album, there is a moment of focused clarity in “Dr Innocuous / Ketamoid,” as Sutton sings, “Did you ever hear the one / About that bird-girl?” It’s okay that most of the story is conveyed wordlessly. Harris’ silvery hi-hats and some sort of woodwind imitating bird sounds are sublime and even moving. “Shapeshifting” features lovely vocals by Rachel Dreyer, leaving you unprepared for the riveting, squalling guitar feedback that’ll slap you out of dreamstate to remain cognizant for the album’s conclusion. ///Codename: Dustsucker won’t meet all preconceived expectations of old fans or win huge masses of new ones. It’ll simply settle into its place in history as another unique, beautiful piece of art rock.

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