Hanry – Disruption (EP)
Release Date: 10th January 2024
Label: Pelagic Records
Bandcamp
Genre: Post-Rock
FFO: This Will Destroy You, Tycho, Explosions In The Sky.
Review By: Andy Spoon
Sometimes, the medicine for your mind’s wanderings is a few minutes of focus and mindful “zen”. I think that Hanry really wants to scratch that itch that the brain sometimes exhibits, needing a few minutes of relaxing “space out” time. The music generally centers around a single rhythmic staple, a simple beat or music phrase, eventually building up and resting, back and forth between less and more intense over time. The tracks often build a sense of calm with quiet and calm repetition that seems thoughtful.
I noticed a lovely duality in the music, as there is a shade of quiet intensity as well as calmness. It is almost as if there was the anticipation of something bigger to come, even though it might never come. Hanry seems to get the message across, though, through use of expanding noise and filter use. One of the “tricks” that they apparently use gives a “Widening” effect to the background noise of the song while it plays, even though the guitar, drum, and bass riffs don’t get any more intense.
This is opposite to the types of dynamic effects that similar artists, e.g. This Will Destroy You or Explosions In The Sky might use, in which the intensity is gradually increased by the instruments themselves. In my view, those bands gradually make the music “taller” as they increase the overall intensity of their playing. In my view, the sound might get “wider” through the increases in effects, rather than intensity. It really needs to be experienced side-by-side, in my opinion. The net result, though, is that music like Hanry has a unique effect that tends towards the relaxed and groove-based, a little like Tycho, which is a compliment. I believe Tycho is one of the best bands in this genre.
Overall, Hanry’s Disruption EP is a good indicator that the band’s future is bright and full of possibility – leading to well-deserved recognition for their approach in the quality of the EP, as well as the thoughtful and groove-centric atmosphere. I think that an 8-11 track LP full of tracks like those on Disruption EP would be well-received, especially with the distribution and network of Pelagic Records, a great partner in the metal/rock community. If you’re a fan of the genre, make sure you check out their performance on KEXP’s YouTube page, a great way to see up-and-coming bands get a chance to flex their skills in a live studio setting.
(3 / 5)
