It takes a dab hand to brutalise ears delicately. Ben Frost has mastered the severe art of aural atrocities not only through skill, but by possessing the sort of mind that can craft blistering eulogies for the Amazonian rainforest or the unending volley of wars humanity recycles ad infinitum. This is Intelligent Death Music, earworms ripped from the burnt soil of our world and mutated into something even more vicious, weeping tears of blood.

With varied and continuously evolving albums on the likes of (among others) Invada, Mute and Bedroom Community, Frost’s compositions have continuously grown in their blown-out evolution; a year’s mentorship with Brian Eno allowing his aural corruptions to blossom foetid new fruits. Lending his ear for unique composition, he has scored for television—memorably in Netflix’s German hit Dark—and film, directed a musical theatre production of the beautifully sadistic Ian Banks novel The Wasp Factory, and collaborated with dance companies. His installation work with photographer Richard Mosse and cinematographer Trevor Tweeten remains one of the most overwhelming looks at forced human migrations, captured with weapons-grade camera tech.

• Theory of Machines, by Ben Frost

• Theory of Machines, by Ben Frost