HOTOTOGISU - Befriending Demons/Nepenthe

A population of singing birds. How nice. But armed\r\nwith rusty metal strings and heavy amplifiers executed\r\nin a freakout state of mind, it gets nasty.\r\nUltraFuzzDronePreacher Matthew Bower, known from\r\nSkullflower and Sunroof!, unveils another episode of\r\nthe Hototogisu, in a collaboration with Marcia Bassett\r\nfrom the Double Leopards. - Mallard Lake.\r\n"The three inch cd seems to be the format of choice\r\nthese days for all things avant / drone related. I\r\nguess its part the novelty, but also the 20 minute\r\nlimit is just perfect for one big long track. Like the\r\nmodern day drone rock equivalent of our old friend the\r\nseven inch single. This super limited three inch just\r\nso happens to be the latest missive from Mr. Matthew\r\nBower of Sunroof!, Skullflower, Total, etc. Bower is\r\nthe Hototogisu, and on this disc that means gorgous,\r\npulsing free noise, taking the crushing power of\r\nSkullflower and smoothing it out with the bliss of\r\nSunroof! Two tracks merged into one twenty minute\r\npiece of strangled guitar chords, droning and\r\nthrobbing, becoming more and more machinelike, until\r\nthe whole thing is a keening, looped mass of distorted\r\ngrit and vibrating hum, like an industrial Steve\r\nReich, or a noise rock Terry Riley. Caustic and\r\nabrasive, but also hypnotic and beautiful. These are\r\nultra limited so you can bet they wont be around for\r\nlong." - Aquarius.