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hrsta, "L'Éclat du ciel Était insoutenable"
At the front of this Montreal-based collective (pronounced "hursh-tah") is Mike Moya, founding memeber of godspeed, Molasses, and Set Fire to Flames. Other members of the group include godspeed/etc. members Bruce and Norsola as well as Molasses members Fluffy Erskine and Scott Chernoff. The 55+ minute collection of 13 tracks would more likely find better appreciation among Nick Cave, Boxhead Ensemble, Thalia Zedek and Leonard Cohen fans who appreciate a good score to a murder scene rather than godspeed fans seeking the next rock and roll messiah.The music somewhat follows a progression Molasses could have taken, with vocal — but not vocally drowned — pieces, blending the heavily emotional, bluesy guitar melodies delicately with strings, occasional loops, a frequent appearance of a skillfully played bowed-saw, droney effects, and the rare amount of percussion. Moya's vocals provide a perfect companion in an already appropriate soundtrack to a cold, bleak, wintery evening. With this album, I can honestly say that the collective has effectively harnessed their improvisational experiences into an elegant, carefully-constructed full-length concept studio album. If the Molasses releases can be perceived as taking snapshots of a band known for their live performances, Hrsta's album is the flipside, presenting the intricate feature-length production.
 
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