Scavengers
Representing the first transmissions in a while from Leeds trio Marta Mist, ‘Scavengers’ consists of two longform pieces, each just over twenty minutes. Taking stately repeated violin figures as a starting point, both sides gradually spill across new territories and textures. In fact, the questing nature of both these pieces (the first side especially) lend themselves both to the title ‘Scavengers’ and to driving rainy motorways, ever onwards.
‘Scavengers’ moves from the opening string lines, via deep reverberating guitars and almost choral fragments, to a clattering sunburned motorik groove. Hunters swerves into delicate insect strings and scrapes, before a jazzy drum pattern signals a warm, valedictory segment pairing guitars bathed in echo with distant pianos.
These transitions are where the record is at its most surprising and effective – witness the interruption tone signalling the piano coda to the first piece, or the burbling electronics that emerge from the Hunters segment. They give the record momentum, and add to the sense of time telescoping that long-form pieces impart – indeed, ‘Scavengers’ sometimes feels like it has more in common with the gradual accumulations of a great DJ set or minimal techno than (neo)classical music.
Listen on repeat, listen while driving, listen while dreaming and get a copy now. Available through the Stashed Goods store