A Closer Listen
Perhaps the best description of HxH (H by H) comes from the duo, who describe their music as “almost sculptural.” The sonics are undulating and smooth, but comprised of granules of sound. In the opening minutes of “BEACH,” one can easily hear the static-charged portions as the approach and withdrawal of waves from the sand. Chris Ryan Williams’ trumpet echoes the vast surface of the sea while Lester St. Louis’ cello reflects the unvisited depths. As label founder KMRU notes, there is also an “in-between layer,” an ineffable portion one might call intuitive or empathetic, characterized by the sense of flow. This can be felt most succinctly at 12:25 as the waves fall silent, giving way to trumpet and pulse, causing a corresponding shift in the listener.
“BEACH” takes up all of Side A, but also lends itself to being played as a loop. When one is ready to move forward – to leave behind this blissful panorama – the reward is a poetic turn by Ayorinde E. Peebles. “Pyrex Vision” is an invitation to look within. Field recordings are audible in the form of footsteps, as Peebles narrates an experience in a float pool. Her meditations lead to a vision of realignment, as wordless voice sneaks into the background, a spiritual echo of a primal need.
The tipping point arrives at 3:54, a sudden burst tipping into a pool of cello and a revelation: “you are this incredible and unbelievable grandeur.” Peebles connects the experience to one of gazing out over the unfathomable ocean, connecting the track to the one before it. Throughout the telling, she has seemed alone, but at the end of her words there arrives a warm, appreciative laugh. The timbre rises temporarily to a drone, then falls back, spent.
After the talk of ancestry, it’s only fitting that the LP ends with “Erta Ale.” The title is shared with an active Ethiopian volcano, famous for its lava lake. The region is the cradle of civilization, while the volcano represents an ongoing creative heat. The restrained drums and cymbals connect the listener to these ancient forces; the synthesizers represent a restless search, while hints of rattle suggest the steam engines that bisect the land. Whistles recall air escaping from steam vents, as well as the song of the joyous runner.
The tracks share an obvious connection; whether returning to ancestral lands, the primordial sea or the spirit, they connect with forces that existed before humankind. As the duo’s first recorded output, STARK PHENOMENA is a genesis in more ways than one. (Richard Allen)
Tue Apr 01 00:01:22 GMT 2025