Unicorn Hard-On

Unicorn Hard-On is the solo moniker of Valerie Martino, a veteran of the American D.I.Y. underground who played a significant role in merging noise with techno. Originally from Providence, Rhode Island, she became active in the city's noise scene along with artists like Ren Schofield (later known as <a href="spotify:artist:0uCqiRh7CzBXxmD1Cddf77">Container</a>) and began bringing her chaotic, beat-driven performances to basements and small venues in college towns throughout the United States. Several cassettes, CD-Rs, and a split 7" with Taiwan Deth appeared, as Martino constantly moved to different cities (including Los Angeles, Nashville, and Philadelphia) while refining her distinctive style. In 2011, she released a split 12" EP with <a href="spotify:artist:0uCqiRh7CzBXxmD1Cddf77">Container</a> on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Hot+Releases%22">Hot Releases</a>/<a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22More+Records%22">More Records</a>. By this time, many American noise artists had embraced techno, with the likes of <a href="spotify:artist:7hgLF6uXImSKj9iuXblx6y">Carlos Giffoni</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:00NwpiTtYKYzE6yEhSbFIk">Prurient</a>, and members of <a href="spotify:artist:6UahQwC9EZGsFSuGjHJNe1">Wolf Eyes</a> all putting out more rhythmic records or side projects, but Martino's bright, exuberant work was still one-of-a-kind. Her long-awaited debut LP arrived in 2013, when John Elliott (<a href="spotify:artist:45btnwhUWFlR7Op5oTfDPv">Emeralds</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:3Fnd0rebIHqdZMlJULnvhJ">Outer Space</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2zgND4W6qMzZJfoL1hU3ek">Mist</a>) released Unicorn Hard-On's Weird Universe on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Spectrum+Spools%22">Spectrum Spools</a>. Three years later, German label Untergang-Institut issued the project's final album, Dream Machine. ~ Paul Simpson, Rovi