The second in a series of seven mail order only releases from Subconscious Communications, this presents an evolutionary missing link in Skinny Puppy history. The 40 minute improvisational jam, aka "brap", was recorded in Southern California in November of 1993, one of many sessions fashioning material for the final Puppy studio album The Process.That particular day Genesis P-Orridge and Larry Thrasher of Psychic TV were visiting and took part. The sound channeling involved cEvin Key on analog gear and Dwayne Rudolf Goettel on digital gear feeding their outputs to P-Orridge's "Gristle-izer" unit (courtesy of fellow Throbbing Gristle member Chris Carter) then on to engineer Ken "Hiwatt" Marshall. Later, Puppy front man Nivek Ogre added some vocals. Key states in the liner notes that this was a brap pinnacle and I believe it. It's the next logical step from the sonic wasteland showcased on the 1992 Puppy masterpiece 'Last Rights': thoroughly manipulated synth waves, shapeshifting noise, beats and percussion, random radio transmissions and samples (especially nice use of obscured symphony), Ogre and GPO's muttered vocalizations, etc. are impressively tangled and untangled in an ebb and flow fashion. With so many hands and minds in control of the collage on the fly, it's somewhat surprising how it comes across as both improvised and composed, chaotic yet controlled. And it sounds remarkably clear, powerful and inspired. Not to mention utterly terrifying and/or beautiful. Portions of the piece ended up on Download's 'Charlie's Family' soundtrack, but you really need to hear it all from start to finish as it is here for the full effect. Much more satisfying than volume one of the series, Download 'Inception', 'Puppy Gristle' stands on its own and has thankfully seen the light of day over eight years after its creation. Next up is Download 'III Steps Forward', studio ideas from 1996 to 2000. - 
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