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September 14, 2004
Azure Assure
Tim Hecker - Acephale
I found Tim Hecker's 'Radio Amor' last January when I was in the Amoeba Records in L.A., and bought it for a song (like $8). I listened to it for the first time when I was sitting in SFO, waiting for my return flight to arrive (which it did, 10 hours delayed), surrounded by families and solo travelers like myself. I was by the gate, so there were large, thick windows right nearby, and the sun was shining brightly into the waiting area. Radio Amor consists of a few repeated piano phrases and themes, static washed and manipulated differently for each track, and it's a very summery, breezy sounding record. Hecker apparently recorded it right after a trip to the Carribbean (his pics form the art work for that album and it looks pretty gorgeous), and the thing that stuck with me was how entirely evocative Radio Amor was: of white expansive beaches, sun-corroded houses, and cool winds.
'Mirages' is Tim Hecker's new record, and it's being released by Alien 8 next Tuesday. This track, Acephale, is monstrously dark and massive. It's a lot more reminiscent of Hecker's first album for Alien 8, 'Haunt Me, Haunt Me, Do it Again', in that it feels desolate and inexplicably redolent of things which have been abandoned. Factories, empty parking lots, weird old train tracks, etc. As always, it's pretty amazing. You'll be able to buy it HERE as soon as they release it, and you can listen to another mp3 from Mirages right here.
Posted by matt at September 14, 2004 01:32 PM