Moritz Von Oswald Trio – Horizontal Ascent 8.9

                   Whereas their last album shot up and away, this one lingers in the mind. Part of that is due to the sheer length (70 minutes as opposed to the previous 40 minute Vertical Ascent). There’s a whole lot they’ve learned since their last outing. Listening to this in giant headphones helps, as the sound is enormous, enveloping virtually everything in its path.

                For one thing, there are new elements added to the mix. Bass (by Marc Muellbauer) and guitar (Paul St. Hilaire, also known as frequent collaborator Tikiman) add new sounds, allowing for an even greater moodiness than what existed before. Having seen the group at Le Poisson Rouge in New York City last year, it sounds like they’ve embraced some of the smokier, deeper sounds from their live show on this particular album to their benefit.

                I don’t know how Moritz Von Oswald does this, but he manages to loosen up the playing. Compared to the previous album, this one feels a lot more open. Perhaps it’s the ever changing nature of the sounds, or how the electronic mixing feels even more ghostly. Somehow these guys manage to bring together vastly different genres yet again, though this time things are far more spacious than before. A tropical vibe is prevalent throughout all five tracks.

                Like their previous outing, all the tracks are untitled. The first one barely sets into a groove before morphing into another unknown structure. Following close after is Paul’s great guitar work, which feels perfectly limber. Moritz’s keyboards are well-complimented by these small sounds. Our third track has the most active guitar work as the bass is heavily felt. Perhaps this middle track is the most accessible track on here. By track four, the twenty minute beast, they are able to create a frenzied kind of tension with the percussion as delicate keyboards shift surprisingly quickly. Finally, we’re lead away by track 5’s ambience.

                Truth be told, it is an improvement from an already good point. Note this is a grower, so multiple listens really suit it best.  Moritz has done a great job of being a cult-like figure, a status which only continues to grow with strange, unclassifiable products such as this one.

Hammock –Chasing After Shadows…Living with the Ghosts 7.2

I can’t really think of a more aptly named band. Their music gives off the warm vibes of lying in that free-moving piece of furniture, staring blankly up into space. Clouds move by at a snail’s pace. And the flow from song to song is great. 

They bring up images of a mix between Stars of the Lid and Explosions in the Sky, but with their own personality. Most of their work directly references the quieter parts of Explosions in the Sky without the crescendos, deftly avoiding that part of post-rock. Instead the songs tend to drift away. Occasionally they even hark back to Stars of the Lid type classical arrangements, though those moments are relatively few. 

Basically, this album is better taken in a few doses. For some people a 70 plus minute album of mostly soothing sounds might be a bit much. This is an album which rewards patience. And I’m sorry I missed them when they opened for Stars of the Lid at Le Poisson Rouge. From what I heard, that was a great concert.