Good Weather For An Airstrike – Underneath the Stars

Following on from last year’s A Winter on Rural Colours, Tom Honey, aka Good Weather For An Airstrike, turns his hand to a full length for Rural Colours’ big brother Hibernate. Underneath the Stars brings Honey’s most accomplished work to date, combining processed guitars, strings and numerous field recordings.

We open with the sparkling tones of ‘Theta Waves’, which sets in place the somnambulant quality that runs throughout the album. The chords gently subside into the field recordings of ‘Another Way Out’. Featuring Rob Honey and Jamie Brett on guitar and vocals respectively, the piece slowly builds to a melodic climax before dissipating into the ether. ‘You’re Rendering Again’, perhaps appropriately, brings to mind a restless night, working because you can’t sleep. The drifting, almost painful sparseness of the piece is very evocative of that otherworldly feeling associated with insomnia.

Allowing a brief pause in the otherwise static soundscape, ‘Aurora’ brings with it slightly more movement. Hypnotically repetitive processed guitars flicker across the space while gentle bowed strings build in the background before fading away to reveal a fragment of piano. From the minimal organ melody of ‘Cast Aside (The Briefest of Pauses)’ to the flickering tones interspersed amongst the static chords of ‘Delta Waves’, the listener is invited to reflect or simply allow themselves to be immersed in the texture.

It is interesting to note that the initial starting point for Good Weather For An Airstrike was Honey’s own experience of tinnitus. As a persistent, unchanging ringing in the ear it seems somewhat perverse that he should choose to employ highly static, often high-mid pitch tones as the basis of his work. However, the soporific quality, aimed to soothe sleepless nights caused by the condition, is certainly effective.

All in all, although not breaking any new ground, Underneath The Stars is a very pleasant collection of minimal drones and textures and is sure to appeal to fans.

- Katie English for Fluid Radio

www.hibernate-recs.co.uk
www.goodweatherforanairstrike.bandcamp.com