Album review: Hebronix, Unreal (ATP)

The latest project of former Cajun Dance Party and Yuck songwriter Daniel Blumberg, Hebronix finds him marrying his natural pop melodic sensibilities to quixotic rock arrangements rooted in American indie modes.

A wise choice, then, to draft in as producer Royal Trux's Neil Hagerty, who doesn't try to rein in Blumberg's more abstruse inclinations, but finds ways of unveiling their strange beauty: the mantra-like coda of discordant guitars that close “The Plan” are one successful gambit, while “Unreal” has the wispy, layered texture of classic psychedelic rock, akin to being wrapped in maypole-ribbon tendrils of guitar. Throughout, Blumberg's lyrics hint at a life lived on the edge: “Close your eyes and remember, I am not in control,” he explains.

Download: Unreal; The Plan; Unliving; Wild Whim