Hydra Transmitter - No Thanks

Released: July 18

Everything about this latest album from Hydra Transmitter is incredibly eclectic. It appears that there was a huge amount of consideration in regard to the selection of sounds and the manner in which they were layered, especially the layering. There's a an interesting trick played with the layering on some of the tracks in which you don't really notice a certain layer during the main parts of the composition. But there are certain parts in which several components disappear and reveal that element that has been hanging out in the background, bringing it directly to the forefront and making it sound like a completely different song. 

With the variety in tracks, there's some that are significantly more noisy and boisterous than others, though the whole album has an element of noise that runs through an entire play through. But one of my favorites is "First Day at the Office" with its chaotic energy and mishmash of distorted percussion sounds. It definitely gives off the vibes of being somewhere brand new, expected to do something there, but also having little idea what you're supposed to be doing as you watch a hectic scene unfold that everyone else there considers normal. There's also a few much more relaxed tracks like the gently rhythmic "Boweler," which has a lovely and simple beat keeping it plodding along as plucky synths beep and bloop over a few scattered elements of noise that serve as small sonic accouterments rather than focal points. 

If I had to pick a single favorite track on here though, it would have to be the last one, "Smooth Jazz." The best part about the track is that its only kind of honest in that it definitely feels like it has those jazz elements. But smooth isn't at all what I would call it. The tones are all over the place, jumping from note to note seemingly randomly and fall from high to low octaves in an instant. Some might think its a little too wild and unhinged, but for it's fun ride with just the right level of unhinged. So much so that I had to play this one on repeat a couple of times.