
Years have gone by and Eric Quach has not been at Dunk ever since. So I guess it's time to give him another shot next year. After all, he's got plenty of stuff in his repertoire. He can come alone, or with a full band or in the company of Aidan Girt (Godspeed You! Black Emperor). The latter would be simply baffling.
Some Became Hollow Tubes is the name of their mutual project. Eric on guitars and synths. Aidan blasting away on the drums. With 'Keep It In The Ground', they delivered a stunning piece of work, one that you will have to listen to several times and at several different volumes. The album contains six tracks, opening a bit hesitant with 'Red Eyes or Bleeding from the Nose or Mouth'. This track gradually evolves and somewhere in the middle of the thirteen minutes lasting sonic assault, the music has slowly put its droning tentacles in your brain. By the end, this is no longer Eric and Aidan, but a well-attuned act and a force to be reckoned with.
There is one act that often comes to mind when I listen to most of these tracks: Yodok III, or maybe better, The Void Of Expansion. Track two, 'Do Not Run Away or Hide Sick People' could be a track from one of Eric's other projects: Hypnodrone Ensemble. Further down the road, Aidan Baker and his Caudal trio come to mind and - obviously - here and there elements from Godspeed You! Black Emperor come shining through. But, I don't feel like Some Became Hollow Tubes is a band influenced by all these, I think it's pretty much the other way around. Let's just call it an amalgamation of two exceptional talents.
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of this album is the sheer amount of variation. I mentioned a few different acts, and when I did that, 'Another Bad Subplot About a Boy's Search for his Father' was just starting. With this tune, I'm even being reminded of Ashtoreth for a little while, before the drums come out and turn the whole thing into a jazzy drone tune. My favorite track is 'Dog Faced Propulsion', perhaps the most dramatic and pulsating track on this brilliant album. I think the message is clear here. If you're into drones & drums, kraut & psychedelic, ambient & percussion, you need this album. You'll need to pre-order quickly, too. These will sell quickly...
Serge