Hyatari

The Light Carriers
by Craig Regala

Live: A throbbing monster. I was worried about the disc, though. But no worries. Volume/sustain/ambience is not the only thing of value about these guys. It’s a droning techtonic soul heave like amplified blood: The rushing whooosh! backed by the steady “ka-thumpa” of your heart worked into distinct songs. The band is a three piece, with sampler/synth work handling rhythm as well as melodic swells as the feedback and distortion from bass and guitar envelope the structure and lift the music. At times quiet and unsettling, quiet and serene, loud and serene, loud and unsettling… minimalism a la Earth (the band), the La Brea tar pits (the place), and Lamont Young (the guy).

The folks I know who’re deep into power electronics/avant-doom/etc. are throwing around names like Buried At Sea, Neurosis, Zeni Geva, Skullflower, and Godspeed! You Black Emperor. Even some of the symphonic/world/electronic fusion that the ECM label has released over the past couple decades would fit this discussion. Pelican and Minsk often tap into a more “rock” framework, but you’d have to be a real stupe to not wanna see’m all play with those name-checked two sentences back. You won’t find track titles listed on the disc itself, but here they are: “Sheet of Flames,” “Freeform for the Disenfranchised,” the title track, “Fourth Realm,” “14,000,000,000 Years Ago,” “Harvesting Sod,” and finally, “Collapse.” I named them as they are indicative of the music. That last one’s the soundtrack to when all matter makes that big plunge back to the center of the universe and history ends.
(www.freewebs.com/hyatari)