- There's a fantastic duality to Kevin Drumm's music. He's an artist who can release drone at its most ferocious (Sheer Hellish, Miasma) and its gentlest (Imperial Distortion, Trouble). He records a lot—you can subscribe and receive all his new works for less than $40 per year—and his releases run the gamut of drone and noise. Dip anywhere in his discography and you'll find something good, whether it's peaceful or unsettling. "October (Early Warning)" falls in both camps. Released to benefit Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Maria, "October" captures the uneasy feeling of the calm before the storm, plus the following devastation. It's a dense 28-minute piece that unfurls a narrative while barely changing at all.
The Chicago artist layers hollow tones that sound like they could have been produced from a pipe organ, imperceptibly shifting like a classic Stars Of The Lid track. There is development, but you'll likely only realize it after a few listens. Its crucial moment comes about 23 minutes in, when the tones change to something darker and sadder, before evening out somewhere between hope and resignation. It's a composition that reveals the possibilities of drone music, which is an open-ended canvas for all sorts of feelings. Drumm's music is among the genre's most emotional, and "October (Early Warning)" is a sterling example.
Lista de títulos01. October (Early Warning)