''Callus'' is the third studio album by

Gonjasufi Sumach Ecks (born 1978), better known by his stage name Gonjasufi, is an American vocalist, producer, disc jockey, and yogi. Life and career Ecks was born in 1978 to a Mexican mother and an American-Ethiopian father. He spent his formative yea ...

(Sumach Ecks). The album was released by

Warp Warp, warped or warping may refer to: Arts and entertainment Books and comics * WaRP Graphics, an alternative comics publisher * ''Warp'' (First Comics), comic book series published by First Comics based on the play ''Warp!'' * Warp (comics), a ...

on August 19, 2016. Former

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guitarist

Pearl Thompson Pearl Thompson (born 8 November 1957 as Paul Stephen ThompsonChris Gerrard (2021)The Cure FAQ: All That’s Left to Know About the Most Heartbreakingly Excellent Rock Band the World Has Ever Known. Backbeat, ISBN 9781493053988, p. 155) is an E ...

is also heavily featured on the album.

Critical reception

Upon release ''Callus'' received an average score of 66/100 from 12 reviewers on

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, indicating "generally favorable reviews". At

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, that collates critical reviews from more than 50 media sources, the album scored 6.4 points out of 10, based on 12 reviews. Jim Carroll of ''

The Irish Times ''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is considered a newspaper ...

'' commented "Listening to Callus, though, it’s clear that Ecks has done some hard living in the last few years and the songs are attempts at catharsis as he deals with events across both his homeland and his own personal universe. It’s dark, dissonant, raw and desolate, a collection of tracks which are often on the edge of collapse as Ecks pulls at the various threads holding them together." Andrew Ryce of ''

Resident Advisor ''Resident Advisor'' (also known as ''RA'') is an online music magazine and community platform dedicated to showcasing electronic music, artists and events across the globe. It was established in 2001. ''RA''s editorial team provides news, musi ...

'' stated "''Callus'' was made over the course four years, through frustration and hopelessness. It's not always an easy listen. Sometimes it sounds uncomfortably close, other times it's off-piste and rambling. The clarity of the songwriting varies wildly across its 19 tracks, though the sound quality doesn't, always rendered with the lo-fi fuzz of a busted mic and a TASCAM four-track. ''Callus'' is the sound of someone exorcising their demons with nothing but a few pieces of gear and his own snarling weapon of a voice—and growing stronger for it." John Paul of ''

PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...

'' added "With ''Callus'', Gonjasufi has crafted an aural equivalent of this modern era. It’s a bleak, often painful listen that does not engender a sense of hope for the future. In this, the commentary acts as something of a self-reflection in which we see ourselves as we truly are as a society. It’s unflinching, unapologetic and at times bordering on unlistenable. But it’s a bold sonic statement that brutally conveys its intended message. In this, ''Callus'' proves a success."

Track listing

Personnel

*Hassan Rahim – artwork *

– guitar (tracks: 7 12 13 15) *Daddy Kev – mastering *AGDM – mixing *Timothy Saccenti – photography *Gonjasufi – producer, mixing

Chart performance

References

External links

* {{Authority control 2016 albums Gonjasufi albums Warp (record label) albums