Ignatz

Ignatz was the name of a mouse from the celebrated prewar cartoon strip Krazy Kat by George Herman, and now it is also the name of a solo project of Brussels-based artist and musician Bram Devens. Working alone with only his guitar, a number of effects pedals, and an occasional digital loop, Devens creates tense and hypnotic music that is half song and half soundscape, rooted in ancient blues and folk traditions but wrapped in so many layers of distortion that the results barely sound human at all. Ignatz released his first self-titled record in 2006 through the k-raa-k label; the second full-length, aptly titled II, followed a year later. Between these two "official" releases Ignatz also issued a number of alternative recordings — a couple of tapes and a sold-out CD-R entitled I Will Soothe My Eye and Feast It with a Sight of Beauty.