Huntsville
For flowers, cars and merry wars
Hubro
This experimental Norwegian trio have taken a decent stab at the drone genre, generally opting for an askew folk/jazz aesthetic rather than the subsonic metal rumblings that often accompany the style. Its opening title track gives the impression that this could be a contemporary soundtrack to "The wicker man", which is down to the unison of Kongsberg-native Hanne Hukkelberg's eerie vocals and the uneasy nature of the music itself. The second of the recording's two major pieces, "Ear/eye connector", really needs to pull something strong out of the bag and, while it's a great background piece when played at subdued volume, it's something of a disappointment when given one's full attention. It makes a fundamental mistake in the grand scheme of music -- that of the false build up that leads nowhere. For a good deal of its almost 13 minute running time the implementation of drum and sample patterns gives the impression that we're leading into one hell of a driving beat; the pulsating feedback would remain the same but with a beat over it that would just kill. Sadly, it's not the case, which renders the track a good background listener rather than a great piece of sonic genius. It's actually something that could be said of this release as a whole, with "For the working class" seeming like a pointless entry and closer "Star spangled pillow" failing to intrigue on a concentrated listen. If it's a backgrounder you're after, though, this will do the trick. Definitely!
- John Norby
