Natural Information Society and Bitchin Bajas : Totality
The whole is greater than the sum of its parts, or so the saying goes. But what about when two parts come together and the result is barely a whisper? That’s the fascinating, enigma-wrapped-in-a-riddle of a record that is Totality, an album title that at various turns seems either profound or confounding.
Resembling a soundtrack to a movie that doesn’t exist, it’s as if Natural Information Society and Bitchin Bajas concocted this mirage of a record in their shared dreams. It makes sense in the sense that Chicago’s Natural Information Society have referred to their music as “ecstatic minimalism.” So why team with another band for an artistic endeavor?
A look back at history provides some clues. In 2015, the two parties paired together for Automaginary, a very well-regarded Drag City release that was a magnum opus in the art of less-is-more—even with nine individuals involved in the making of the music. The experience of listening to that record was akin to sitting in a circle with a group of individuals and meditating in silence with only the most minute of disturbances made over the course of a roughly 40-minute session.
Were it not for the artistic acumen of every one of the players involved in this revisiting of their partnership, it would be intimidating to pull off what seemed to be a lightning-in-a-bottle of an album. But, as they are now 10 years older and perhaps 10 times the wiser in their artistry, Natural Information Society and Bitchin Bajas have concocted an even more perfect antidote to the hassles and hustles and bustles of daily life in the (non) information age.
The next time you’re undergoing a severe spell of stress, don’t go to your doctor and ask for an antidepressant. Secure a copy of Totality, find a nook where you are certain not to be disturbed, and listen to this record from start to finish with your eyes closed. By the time it’s finished, you will be reawakened, rejuvenated, re-centered—and with no fear of withdrawal either. To the contrary, withdrawing from the world is best done with this record as your guide.
Label: Drag City
Year: 2025
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