Review: Stereocilia - Hive Mind

From one South Coast label to another but this one needs no introduction. Brighton's Drone Rock has been building its reputation for quality releases for a while now...every record has been top quality and this new one is no different. Stereocilia is Bristol based guitarist and composer, John Scott who uses his guitar, analog synths and live looping techniques to create dense, rich layers of sound. He has previously released 2 albums, both on the Echoic Memory Label; the debut album 'Mumurations' in 2013 and ‘The Road to the Unconscious Past’, as well as a string of exceptionally well received EPs. He has also shared bills with the likes of White Hills and Acid Mothers Temple among many others. 'Hive Mind' is is third full length release by far, and without doubt the heaviest yet.

From the first strains of 'The Water Has No Darkness' we are enveloped in a luxurious cocoon of deep drones and filigree guitar..the density of the drone belying the delicate guitar picking. It has a real sense of aural chiaroscuro; the interplay of dark and light working to create a whole that is both incredibly uplifting but with a shadowy underbelly....bewitching stuff. 'Static' takes the guitar motifs from the opener but this time around the drones augment rather than sit in opposition to the general ambient vibe. Gentle oscillating electronica give the track a spacey feel, indeed the feel is one of drifting alone in space with only the stars for company and the zephyr-like murmur of those entrancing drones soundtracking the cosmic cruise. It is 13 minutes of sheer, unexpurgated bliss..it is music to be experienced rather than just heard. The term ambient, when used in conjunction with music, is one that is both misused and unfairly dismissed in some quarters....too many people equate it with 'muzak' or background music (although Eno says of ambient music "it must be as ignorable as it is interesting." but what does he know eh?) ...but when it is done well, and Scott does it very well, it is almost transcendental...the focus is on tone and creating atmospheres rather than a more formal song structure, allowing the listener to create their own personal listening experience. 'Static' does just that, it lets you float on clouds of gossamer or drift away among the stars. 'Aurora Borealis' is another short track that has more of the now familiar guitar but backed this time by a very post-rock guitar refrain...it is reminiscent of Godspeed's more laid back offerings. The final track, 'Another Sleepless Dream', opens with a rich drone that envelops all before it, like the background hum of the universe, and more space based electronica only acerbates the blissful cosmic vibe. The track builds slowly; the drone increases in intensity, gentle guitar added until, around the halfway mark, it becomes something entirely different. A solid wall of fuzz is combined with some strident electric guitar and drums (provided by Thought Forms drummer, Guy Metcalfe) and it becomes a heavy, psychedelic monolith, full of vital power and density. It is in stark contrast to what has come before, and it this contrast that seems to make it all the more powerful....the juxtaposition of potency and strength with the former tranquility and introspection is startling; many a jaw will be dropped on first listen. Amazing stuff!

Yet again Drone Rock have brought us something different and thought-provoking. 'Hive Mind' works on so many levels it is staggering....the intelligent and thoughtful ambient bliss of the first 3 tracks is complemented beautifully by the bombast and vitality of the last. However, there is still a power in the ambient tracts...the power to transport the listener, to convey them above and beyond the physical realm into places that exist only in their imagination. It is bewitching, entrancing and, above all, utterly, utterly beautiful. 'Hive Mind' is up for pre-order on the Drone Rock webshop here and comes in a glorious transparent blue heavyweight vinyl with splatter effects or transparent blue vinyl.