Molly Noise - Profane Feminine

Molly Noise is an industrial and experimental project whose first release, as far as Bandcamp shows, stems back to 2018. The seven track EP, described as Sadgirl Electronica, was received well by fans and started what I consider to be a bit of a cult following for the project. Since then Molly Noise has gone on to release a few EPs, two albums, and two collaborations with YouTubers Eric-Sophia (Curio) and Sarah Zedig. A lot of those efforts have culminated in Molly Noise's latest album "Profane Feminine", which is an eleven track album featuring several guest collaborators. And, for the most part, it's a solid album. 

What I would described as ADHD contained in an experimental song kicks off the album, and it's titled 'In This, Though This, I Will Emerge Stronger'. It's not the strongest track on the album and sounds as if its unpolished and unfinished. Several of the samples on the song, especially during the breakdown that occurs around the one-minute and eight-second mark, are fairly interesting nonetheless. The second track, however, is where Molly Noise begins to shine. 'The Cold Earth Awaits Your Bones' contains noisy and whirring synths on top of a solid industrial beat. Gritty and tough, the vocals are a whisper-scream and go along with the various glitches and samples placed in the song. 



The third track, 'Into the Landscape of Thorns', is where we see the first collaboration. A rather somber song based on the lyrics alone, this theme is accented with moody piano and a rather scratchy underlying beat. Shonalika is the guest vocalist and lyricist on the track. They have two modes of lyrical delivery, the first of which is a form of spoken word poetry and rap that sounds great alongside the beat. They're really able to break out raw emotion. During the chorus, however, they opt-out of their spoken word delivery in favor of singing. I was not a huge fan of Shonalika's singing as I feel as if it's just not as good as their prior mode; it also doesn't go along that well with the overall beat of 'Into the Landscape of Thorns'. The other minor complaint I have about this song is that I feel as if the mixing is slightly off; the vocals stick out a lot more than the music. Purposeful or not, I do not like it when one instrument dominates the other. 

The title track of the album comes up next and is a collaboration with Pink Limb who contributes lyrics and vocals. I'd argue that there's a huge electropunk influence on this track which just pops out as soon as it begins. Rapid beats, shouted lyrics mixed with rap-inspired delivery during the versus, and an overall attitude driven beat screams that at me. 'Numb' comes up next and quiets the album back down. Low-fi beats and whispered, inner thoughts take up a majority of the song. A light, clashing beat forms later down the line but soon dissipates into nothingness. It is a good way to pause the momentum. 

'You Might See Me Smiling' is a brilliant synth ballad featuring a lo-fi beat and saddened tones. However, the build-ups into the chorus are epic and sweeping; when the dance synths and bass finally hit in, the song flips upside down into something new. What's great about it, however, is that it never loses its somber touch. Oh, and the ever wonderful SurgeryHeard provides guitar on the track, so it's a must. After a short two-minute and sixteen-second track featuring eight-bit influences, 'Hollow' comes up. Continuing on depressing themes, 'Hollow' utilizes dark ambiance, piano, and bass pulses that sound like a heartbeat. Again, it's emotive and well done. 

I wasn't much a fan of 'Forced Into a Shape Not Mine' mainly due to this annoying sample that sounds like a high pitched scratch. While there's a break from it that begins around the two-minute and forty-second mark, the ending moments of the track are horrid due to the squealing synths that made me take my headphones off. The next song 'Reify' sounds like the track that would've played when Alice was falling down the rabbit hole. Slowed down synths, grain, and deep pitched vocals all grace this track. It's nothing like what I've heard on the album thus far but it's wonderful. Especially when the guitars kick in giving it a metallic touch. Kudos to Gene Hex for co-writing and providing her vocals on this track. The final track is a hardcore / gabber track. And, considering I'm none too huge a fan of those genres (for the most part), I wrote it off. Though I will say that, like many of the other songs on "Profane Feminine", I did enjoy some of the samples within. 

"Profane Feminine" is a wild ride, to say the very least. So many different genres are touched upon in this eleven song ride. While some of them do not live up to the hype, others shocked me quite well and became addictive. I think it would benefit Molly Noise to get her releases mixed and mastered by a professional in the future just to give her music and extra touch-up and one that is sometimes needed. Her experimental nature works in her favor, though certain songs (especially 'Forced Into A Shape Not Mine') go into territory that is best left unheard. Nonetheless, I have an overall positive experience with "Profane Feminine", even if that means skipping a couple of song throughout the ride. Six-and-a-half out of ten! 

This review was commissioned through our Ko-fi page.
Nov 22 2021