starving weirdos: atheistsaregods

More than a decade after the release of Land Lines, the mythical Humboldt County, California based duo of Brian Pyle and Merrick McKinlay reappears seemingly out of nowhere with Atheistsaregods. With past releases on such cult-like labels as Root Strata, Weird Forest, Blackest Rainbow, or Digitalis, Starving Weirdos were an indelible part of a sprawling and loose network of artists in Northern America whose DIY work ethic and extreme activity revolved around shoestring-budget constant touring, numerous limited editions on CDR, tape, and vinyl, and a relentless drive to push the boundaries of genre. Out of that cauldron, Starving Weirdos stood out as one of the most persistent and visionary acts, developing a mind-altering body of work that went from warm soundscapes through droney digressions, freeform improvisation, and raucous noise summoned from a myriad of instrumentation and low budget processing -- vocals, keyboards, violin, flute, percussion, and an assortment of less identifiable sound sources. Ten years on their legacy remains a timeless and wildly under-appreciated one, but hopefully this new album will shine a light on their idiosyncratic approach. As time itself was never a constraint. This is music suspended outside of it. Right from the start with the echoing percussion, dissonant keys and processed vocals of "Haiku Nagasaki", Atheistsaregods draws a continuous flux of psychedelic elevation that goes from the gloomy electronic motifs not unlike the early Cluster vibes of "Invocation" into the dank percussive maze of the appropriately titled "Barulho do Samba". The self-titled track induces a sense of post-apocalyptic vertigo via hallucinatory scraps of voice, suspended synth tones and reverberating field recordings, connecting into the droney mystics of "Dudukahar (Reed Prayer)". Coming full circle, "For Vinny" brings back the echoing percussion amidst hypnotic cello lines until it drifts off into the unknown. With the same palpable sense of urgency, Starving Weirdos feel as vital as ever. Welcome back. Artwork by Mioshe. Mastered by Rashad Becker.