Zelienople – Hollywood

Opening in a deluge of drone, this re-release of Hollywood by Zelienople, sets the listener off on a path of self-discovery in a freakish netherworld; an alternate reality populated by slow-moving disco balls and an ethereal orchestra performing in an underwater, labyrinthine orchestra pit…

The bright lights and elegance associated with “Hollywood” are slowed down, every single sound is brought to the forefront and then returned to the back, the nuances exist in microscopic detail with dirt and grime visible; the underbelly is apparent and the listener is engulfed almost immediately with every creak and shutter.

These two long form tracks (each running around 20 minutes), “Misty” and “Drug Legs”, which were originally released on separate 3” cdrs, come together to form one cohesive yet unsettling work. On “Misty”, after the band has worked themselves into a frenzy, amid the din of crashing symbols, the cacophony of bleating horns and kitchen sinks strewn about, the bottom seems to fall out and the remaining pieces float to the ground.

This transcendent ending moves nicely into “Drug Legs,” which shifts gears abruptly as free-jazz motifs amble around disjointed noise brimming below the surface. Zelienople really have a knack of creating unexpected movements, shifts in tone or mood, and generally leading the listener askew, down unfamiliar paths into uncharted territory. Further in, the free-jazz motifs become muffled and even more obtuse, the underwater aura surrounding much of the recording breaks apart, and frenetic synthesizer chirps allow the piece to shift into an entirely different movement.

Zelienople have once again created an excellent work that marries the unsettling with the unclassifiable. After countless releases, the trio of Brian Harding, Matt Christensen, and Mike Weis continue to craft wonderful pieces that sound fresh and original, and unlike anything else. – Review by Michael Vitrano for Fluid Radio

Purchase from Under The Spire here
Also from Experimedia here

www.underthespire.co.uk
www.zelienoplemusic.com