Zeus and Apollo, the second album for Sam Grawe’s Hatchback project, welcomes‚ by his own admission – the “new age of the new age.” Whether this claim is true or not, at least it gives this reviewer an easy reference point for what this album sounds like at least. Zeus and Apollo is a very light, spacious, relaxing and peaceful sounding album.
It is clear that Grawe was in no rush with this album – every song has an extremely hypnotic quality and is incredibly drawn out. Opener “Sunrise Prototypes” begins with two quiet synth chords repeated over and over, dominating the first few minutes. Extra layers some melodic, some more rhythmic – are added to this loop to slowly produce a swirling and propulsive track that readies and relaxes the listener. Elsewhere, the title track begins with a simple synth melody line and drumbeat before becoming slightly more adventurous structure-wise and going into almost Balearic territory.
Although the album could definitely be placed under the banner of ‘ambient’, that’s not to say it is overly monotonous or static. Indeed, Grawe packs the almost sinister and ambient “Orinoco Waltz” with enough layers to make its sixteen-minute running time fly by. The track begins with haunting synths and minor-key piano chords that give way to some relaxed drumming and gorgeous guitar ambience. Similarly, “The Violet Sequences” closes the album with synthesizer arpeggios, floating chords and a space-age guitar melody.
However, there are some moments that I found to be somewhat tedious, without much to latch onto emotionally. Perhaps conscious of this, Grawe packs all of these songs with enough intricate layers that come and go so that the album never feels like it’s meandering. All these songs are very precisely arranged, and Grawe is clearly someone who knows exactly what he wants to achieve and how to get there.
Zeus and Apollo could be compared in some ways to Grawe’s contemporaries such as Oneohtrix Point Never or Emeralds. While there are similarities, it’s a decidedly more chilled-out affair than anything released by those two acts. This is music you almost have to be relaxing and unwinding to, to get the most of. Its far from background music though, this is an enjoyable and robust album that demands attentive listening on your headphones.
Wyatt Lawton-Masi
