Minimal Violence will release the third and final instalment of DESTROY —> [physical] REALITY [psychic] <— TRUST, an EP series for Tresor, next month.

Phase Three, which is about transcendence, sees Minimal Violence become a solo project driven by Ash Luk, who completes the release without collaborator Lida P.

Originally from Winnipeg, Canada, Ash’s references come from their mother who worked in a record shop and later as a booker for a music venue. Mad Johnny, their step-father, who features on the opening track of this release, was also an inspiration, because he played in metal and industrial bands throughout Ash’s childhood.

This emphasis on live music was a foundation for the way in which Minimal Violence began their approach to making music. They would focus on preparing a live set using solely hardware, then test them out at a venue with an audience and record tracks based on what vibes were working best. Recording the tracks like this brought with it the the opportunity for unexpected moments unique to the punk and hardcore DIY ethos.

In 2020, Minimal Violence released their debut album, InDreams, on Ninja Tune’s Technicolour imprint. But the limited ability to play live shows forced Ash to pivot. Producing in isolation led them to new ways of making music, focusing on sonic quality and structure in order to be accessible to all listening settings. You can hear this new approach across Phase Three, and read more about the Minimal Violence project in their XLR8R interview here.

DESTROY —> [physical] REALITY [psychic] <— TRUST dates back to Phase One in 2020, and Phase Two landed last year. The ideas behind each phase of the trilogy—destruction, restructuring, and transcendence— “unintentionally mirrored” what was happening in the world and Luk’s own life, we’re told.

Ahead of the release, Tresor has shared “We Suffocate on the Violence of Light,” a slice of acid-infused, euphoric trance that captures Luk’s “liberation from the relentlessness of performing live,” we’re told.

Tracklisting

01. Flatline (feat. Mad Johnny)
02. Cold (sex)
03. We Suffocate on the Violence of Light
04. Focus on that Form

Phase Three EP is scheduled for March 4 release. Meanwhile, you can pre-order here.