LAYERS OF THE ONION
Hal-An-Tow
Hal-An-Tow
If the band name and booklet photos (two hirsute,
accordion-wielding minstrels surrounded by instrumental exotica) prompt
thoughts of Incredible String Band copyists, think again. This is very
different stuff.
That said,
the opening track, with its lapping waves, languid acoustic strumming and
glockenspiel accents, treads a fine line between psych-folk langouresness and
new-age vacuousness.
'In The Land
Of Sona-Nyl' ups the weirdness quota, all spooky drones and mettalics and eerie,
otherworldly shimmers. Volcano The Bear drummer Aaron Moore patters away
restlessly, creating an atmosphere of druggy, ritualistic improv. You can
almost smell the fug of incense and marijuana smoke.
'The Muspel
Light' closes, with 24 minutes of layered drones and blurry reverberations;
impressionistic sweeps of sound which match the dry, austere ambience of
contemporary classical music to the more wayward experimental palette of the
avant-garde, as sounds emerge from, and then disappear into the mix. This is
immersive, unsettling music.
Neil Hussey
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