First Glances – The Summer Kills
The Summer Kills is a collaborative project between [sic] ambient faves, Hammock and singer/songwriter Matthew Ryan. The debut album Last Night We Became Swans is already available for pre-order and described as ‘a study in contrasts’. Expansive yet tight, physical and intelligent, mannerly and immensely urgent. Last Night We Became Swans ‘luxuriates in the paradoxes of love — its euphoria and its plodding routines. It meditates on the life-changing jolt of new love or sudden violence.’
It took seven years for this record to come to fruition. “The reason we’ve waited so long to realize it is mainly due to the fact that we’re relentlessly stubborn,” Marc Byrd and Andrew Thompson of Hammock say. “We were dedicated to it being as perfect as possible,” Ryan adds. “Having to satisfy each of our instincts and standards.” Hammock are established as leaders in versatile post-rock composition, and Matthew Ryan is an acclaimed songwriter about whom adjectives like “gritty” and “blue collar” are bandied about far too much. The combination, like a rough hand on a silk dress, is arresting. They collaborated with Peter Katis, who works with artists ranging from The National to Japandroids, to mix the resultant album, and the result is a lush and immediate soundtrack to a modern love story.
Having had several Editors album of the year slots from us, we have been huge champions of Hammock music here at [sic] Vocal collaborations have always been a valuable and healthy staple for the band. Yet these have tended to be one-offs. I refer you to ‘No Agenda’ from the Asleep In The Downlights EP (Also bundled onto the EPs , Singles and Remixes double album compilation). A whole album of the Nashville duo with a dedicated singer could be very interesting indeed. Early indicators put me in mind of James’ Laid period when the Mancunians worked with Brian Eno. Such contrasting artists, on paper it really shouldn’t have worked. Yet it did work.
Beautifully.
Keep watching this space.