NYC artist Marthyn (or M. for short) pieces together a smorgasbord of jagged lo-fi juxtapositions, further developing this middle-ground musicians’s rulebending visions and unique style in the process on the 13-track IN ABSENTIA. Seemingly strung together from a bizarre crop of spoken word rants, woe is me electronic melancholy, mashed-up DJ grooves, artsy space folk, minimalist punk, and outright personal delusions, this scattershot and vibrant composite sounds fresh off a NYC modern art punk show, spouting an uninhibited and heartfelt collection of musical musings from the perspective of an outsider looking in. While the overall aura may smother with the kind of self-absorption that ultimately dilutes the effort, there’s enough intriguing segues and a barrage of genres explored to warrant a few listens before making an informed decision on this disc. www.marthyn.com -Mike SOS