Jarl – Phonophobia (Album – Zoharum)
Genre/Influences: Experimental, Industrial, Cinematic.
Format: Digital, CD, Cassette.
Background/Info: The previous work by Jarl released on Zoharum (cf. “Hyperacusis”) was dealing with a severe hearing disease. “Phonophobia” deals with another -although related clinical subject referring to psychology and clinical psychiatry.
Content: Erik Jarl composed 3 tracks for this conceptual work. The work remains Experimental, but still reveals explicit Industrial-Ambient influences. All tracks are characterized by a kind of sonic monotony accentuated by rare variations. All tracks are going over the 20 minutes.
+ + + : What I like is the kind of disturbed atmosphere created by the monotonous, endless sound loops. It’s an obscure production revealing less diversity, but always ending in obscurity. The last cut is a bit more diversified.
– – – : Jarl remains very prolific and inspired by great conceptual themes. It’s just a pity the music becomes less inspired than the themes…
Conclusion: I already have to say there’s much better work from Jarl than what I’ve heard the past few years.
Best songs: “Scale: 3”.
Rate: 6.
Listen to “Phonophobia”:
Artist: www.facebook.com/Jarl.main
Label: www.zoharum.com / www.facebook.com/zoharum
About Jarl
Jarl is the solo project of Swedish electronic musician Erik Jarl, who builds long-form pieces from processed loops, drones and industrial textures, usually around a single clinical or perceptual theme.
The Polish label Zoharum has carried much of that catalogue. Side-Line reviewed the double album “Negative Rotation / Intensive Fracture” in 2018, “Inner Domain” in 2020 and “Hyperacusis” in 2021. Erik Jarl also works outside his own name, for instance on “The Hunters In The Snow” with Anemone Tube and Monocube, issued by The Epicurean and reviewed here in 2019.
Zoharum released “Phonophobia” on CD on 7 November 2021, with a limited cassette edition following. The three tracks were recorded by Erik Jarl, mastered by Natt and packaged with artwork by Radosław Kamiński. The Zoharum run continued with “Mindrotation” in 2023, “Isolation Colours” in 2024 and “Receptor Radiation” in 2025.
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