As most of you may or may not already know from reading any of my previous reviews, I'm a sucker for bands who push boundaries and experiment with sound. I get excited at the prospect of reading about how certain bands develop their sound on a particular album or release. The third album from UK-based sonic explorers One Unique Signal does just that. Born out of one single repetitious loop from the recording sessions on their previous album, 'Aether', 'Hoopsnake' is a collaborative four-track monolith of immense sound constructed by the three members of the band and 20 of their contemporaries, including The Oscillations's Damien Castellanos and Stephen Lawrie of The Telescopes. The resulting four tracks are a testament to the abilities of the artists involved to bend and form sound-waves at will into a sometimes dark and menacing sonic maelstrom and at other times into a beautiful, reverb-drenched, atmospheric soundscape that's awash with massive synth swells and droning psychedelic guitars. 'Hoopsnake' was released via the brilliant UK-based Fuzz Club Records and is available to purchase on all formats from the record label's website right now.
'Hoopsnake' opens with the dark and oppressive 'HS 01'. Menacing synth swells make way for an explosive whirlwind of sonic delight as a repetitive drum pattern ushers in the tempestuous guitars and off kilter vocal progressions that meld together and manifest into one impressive wall of sound. 'HS 01' is heavy work at times as it builds and builds into an oppressive sonic assault on the senses, but there is a sullen clarity hiding deep within the swirling maelstrom of reverb-induced sound-waves that just makes sense! 'HS 02' openly glitters as intricate glitchy sounds pan left and right. The sonic tempest builds slowly from far below this listener's audible range as swirling synths bubble to the surface. 'HS 02' is unsettling at first but switches into a rhythmic, almost metronomic animal as the droning guitars enter the fray, adding weight to proceedings as it leads us into that majestic expansive finale! Up next, 'HS 03' brings yet another swirling synth drone to the fore. This time accompanied by sampled birdsong and creeping, stagnated and edgy fret noise. This is intensely atmospheric as the whirling drone gathers momentum and pulsates into a living, breathing animal. 'HS 03' is so dark and malevolent it will leave you checking behind the shower curtain before going to bed every night. The album's closing track, entitled 'HS04', begins with beautifully reverb-drenched chord structures that shimmer and drone upon themselves. They build and build into a stunning cacophony of immense sound waves before an addictive but plodding synth progression takes over and ushers in the finale.
'Hoopsnake' is indeed experimental! It is also sometimes hard to listen to and in the same breath, sometimes awe inspiring. The sonic field it possesses is massive and it's that expansive soundscape that sucks you in and introduces you to magnificent swells of sonic energy. It's a wonderful collection of tracks that I feel you really need to sit down, listen and concentrate on properly. Recommended listening all the same!
One Unique Signal's website
Buy: 'Hoopesnake'
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