Review: Hammock – Oblivion Hymns

Hammock

Oblivion Hymns

Hammock Music

Street: 11.26.13

Hammock = Stars of the Lid + Grouper

What duo Marc Byrd and Andrew Thompson have created with Oblivion Hymns is an atmospheric album fit for a cathartic and, ultimately, holy experience. The instrumentation, which includes a string quartet, a children’s choir (that sounds like a choir of angels on “Then the Quiet Explosion”), glockenspiel and more, builds a cathedral of sound with slow buildups that reach to an apotheosis of hallowed intimacy. I wouldn’t be surprised if “I Could Hear the Water at the Edge of All Things” was spawned by conversations with God or some spiritual essence. If you’re looking for a sacred experience, this is where you can find one, and these hymns are best listened to with reverence to feel uplifted. –Brinley Froelich