Now that it’s the weekend and you’re not dedicating your brain power towards work, you’ll have time to digest Polyphia’s new track ‘Neurotica’! This …
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It was a pretty dismal posting effort this time around 4 years ago and 8 years ago on the site. So this history post is short and sweet. 4 Years Ago …
The Week In Destroyer Of Harmony History – July 26 to July 31
Learn how to clean your guitar, and you’ll be able to keep it shiny and looking like new. These tips will help you get rid of the dirt, streaks, and …
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I’m really happy to combine my PPAC Challenge entry this week with my musical content.
This hand painted sign is a repurposed old door outside Cleere’s Bar and Theater in Kilkenny.
I’ve got another post planned to describe the incredible musical experience I had at Cleere’s, but for now, please be sure to check out their YouTube channel below. Also, be sure to check out my recent post about the music in Dublin. Perhaps it will hold you over until you can plan a trip to Ireland.
Audiophiles will go to such extents to optimize the quality of their audio chain that they sometimes defy parody. But even though the law of …
Equalize Your Listening With HiFiScan
This is a common sense hobby – you probably don’t need someone like me to suggest it. But I bet for most of you it’s been months or even years since you’ve done it… so indulge while I nudge you a little bit.
Dedicate Time to Focus on Active Listening
Minimize distractions: let the dog out, put the kids down for nap, and silence your phone.
Grab a note book and pen so you can take notes. Scribble what do you like about the instrumentation, any lyrics that stand out, and any emotions you feel.
Consider headphones: this will help you hear the depth and spacing of the instruments better. Any headphones will do, but noise cancelling over ear will help block out the world and let you get lost in the soundscape.
Get comfortable: Dim the lights, light a candle, and pour some wine.
Listen to your favorite tune, or try out something you’ve never heard before. (See the playlist below for suggestions if you’re looking for something new).
Set a reasonable volume: heavy metal should me loud, classical music should be loud enough to hear dynamics, or whatever is appropriate for the tune you’re enjoying.
When the song is over, review your notes in silence- add any final impressions you have. If you feel compelled, listen again.
Move on to another tune. Then when you are done with the session take a moment to reflect. Did you learn anything new about your artist, album, song, genre etc? Can you draw any new conclusions?
Is there something that you’d like to share? Publish on social media or share with friends or consider starting a song club.
The most important thing is that you make the time, because if you don’t, life will get in the way and you’ll miss out. Get listening!
Some of you may be trying to support Ukrainian musicians with the #Music4Ukraine Challenge, but maybe you don’t know where to start. I’m here to help. I will be publishing a series of mini blog posts about some of the great Ukrainian music I’ve found, and I’ll give tips about the types of listeners I think might enjoy it. If that description matches you, then I hope you’ll dig further into the artist to learn more and share what you find with your music-loving friends!
“Hydronaut”
By Shiva the Destructor
The first thing I notices was the stunning psychedelic temple artwork. It gave me a sense being drawn into an epic story, and the music delivered!
The song starts with a swirling with delay effect accentuated by modulation creating an underwater feeling. Eventually a gnarly and present bass lick sludges through the bottom end foreshadowing the journey that is to come.
Guitar riff slides up the neck then abruptly gets choked off gives just a moment of respite, allowing the tune to gasp for breath before it digs back in.
Eventually the tune dies off again, but instead of starting back up as it was, it restarts with series of bright arpeggios. This creates a slightly more optimistic vibe for just a moment until the heavy guitars assault the low end again- this time they crush with increasing pressure.
You might be lulled into thinking that this is a purely instrumental tune, but so you may be surprised when the lyrics start 3:26 into the song. Be patient. The voice is haunting and at times trippy- spinning in the swirling into and out of the guitar lines.
The lyrics are poignant and dark- it’s one of the few songs I’ve listen to that has a full set of discernable lyrics, sung in English.
After the vocals tell their story, the guitars pick up the intensity again and wander through a harmonized solo, ultimately arriving in the land of ambience, where they joined by an organ that opens a gap for the lyrics to rejoin the mix one final time.
Hydronaut is a beautiful soundscape that envelops a heavy griding rock tune. I think it’s likely to be enjoyed by the subset of Tool fans that don’t need everything to be super heavy (sorry, I know some of you need it to be ultraheavy and this isn’t for you), grunge fans, psychedelic rock, fans of dark complex grooves, stoners
If you’re looking for other great Ukrainian music, I encourage you check out the playlist below. As I find more tunes, I’ll add them there. I plan on publishing more “Hasty Music Reviews” like this to help you find the artist that bests suits your style. Also, if you’re interested in learning more about #Music4Ukraine be sure to check out my Listen for A Cause post.
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