Forty-six years after an astronomer called Dr Frank Drake tried to estimate the number of civilisations in our galaxy, Brisbane musician (and stargazer/conspiracy theorist?) Geoff Hill releases a record under the moniker. He’ not the first musician to be entranced by the equation; Mr. Bungle guitarist Trey Spruance recorded a record with the same name five years ago.
Hill’ debut, Through Rarefied Air, features a blend of beats, synths, computer recording and “other stuff.†It’s sophisticated. ‘Rarefied’ is a good word for it – especially on opener “Below the Surface.’ The inviting warmth and interplay of melodies calls to mind Clan Analogue producer Dark Network. Later, “Plain Sailing’ is an obvious nod to Basic Channel’ dub techno, right down to the metallic feel of the beats. At times a tension opens up between the computer-derived sounds and the sophisticated arrangements. They are unsettling and undeniable.
So Nathan Kneen’s vocals on “Blink of an Eye’ (and ‘Sun/Fish’) come as a shock. His workmanlike lyrics aren’t saved by their whispered, breathy delivery and it marks an about-face in the record’ sound. A record like this, thrown about on a sea of opera samples, dub techno, downtempo beats, singer/songwriter vocals and glitch-laden electronics, would usually be the hallmark of an inventive, interesting musician. But despite some promise, Through Rarefied Air ultimately disappoints.
Matthew Levinson
