Info

Poetry, noise, and perfect plush destruction on cassette nestled and sewn up lovingly inside a custom-made but discarded alligator stuffed animal.

https://negligiblewound.bandcamp.com/album/august-4th-soft-underbelly

From the artist:
"Side A, "August 4th," features poetry i wrote between 2021-2025 about childhood unease, and how trauma takes its shape throughout different points in our lives. Each movement flows through layers of harsh noise and samples, finely crafted to accentuate each word.

Side B, "Soft Underbelly," includes thrumming feedback and power electronics, recorded via the destruction of each plushie at hand using a contact mic on a power drill and other tools. Every version of Soft Underbelly is unique, and includes the sounds the blown out sounds of fabric ripping, produced by damage done to whichever plushie is held in hand. Each thread woven, incision made, and sound expelled intended to capture the feeling of needing to expel what's inside even if that means having to tear yourself open.

Plushies arrive fully healed and sewn back up. Each one comes with a razor, to be used to tear its wounds back open so the tape can be accessed. Plushies made and embroidered by [credit artist] and were destroyed, repurposed, and reconstructed by myself with help from Claire. As of now only 15 will be produced

This alligator, like any other, is going to do what it can to take advantage of you. It will try to convince you that nothing is wrong, or that you want it, or that it is your friend. While on the outside it may appear that it is cute, or something to keep as a part of your environment, it is simply a vessel for a tape holding a song about healing. Don't believe its lies. Overcome your comforts.

You need to kill what harms you in order to move onto the next phase"