Cluster Lizard :: Herts (Prostir / I Shall Sing Until My Land Is Free)

The conceptual foundation of Herts draws from the tragic, heroic, and ritualistic aspects of soldiers’ behavior as they confront situations where their lives are constantly at risk, their foundations are destabilized, and the ever-present shadow of death looms over them.

An energizing, forward-driving force

Herts is the new groundbreaking album released by the Ukrainian duo Cluster Lizard, which consists of Dmytro Fedorenko and Kateryna Zavoloka, now based in Berlin. The project is relatively young with a few albums taking origin back in 2017. Dmytro Fedorenko is also known under the moniker of Kotra, a post-industrial act with hints of radical-sounding forms of abrasive experimentalism and dark techno lysergic grooves. The conceptual foundation of Herts draws from the tragic, heroic, and ritualistic aspects of soldiers’ behavior as they confront situations where their lives are constantly at risk, their foundations are destabilized, and the ever-present shadow of death looms over them.

This is a heavy and serious thematic, but the duo intends to liberate a certain speech and translate it into sonic art forms, also participating as members of a federation of artists united during a challenging time for their homeland. This blasting, nervous, ominous, industrial and tranced-out rhythmically-tinged electronic soundtrack evoke notions of perpetual danger but also of confidence and courage as the pieces are intentionally unsettling but also hymnic if not ethno-ritual, notably with use of traditional instruments.

The music evokes a spectrum of emotions, from the haunting, otherworldly pull of distant nostalgia to an energizing, forward-driving force that feels almost transportive. Repetitive, obsessional hypnotic patterns taken from classic instruments are intertwined with massive distorted droning lines, stormy pulsating grooves, and apocalyptical riffs. The ambiances alternate moments of furiously bleak harshness with looping structures welded to darkly rumbling synthetic sequences.

All in all an assaultive and bombastic post-techno industrial album exploring textures, noise, and density. At the frontier between pioneering industrial music, molten techno, and frightening cinematic tones, Herts is recommended for fans of JK Flesh, Sow Discord, Chris & Cosey, Ancient Methods, but also Rapoon, Muslimgauze or Hybrid for their discreet ethno-ambient dimensions.

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Conceptual inspiration for Cluster Lizard was driven mainly by futuristic ideas of some prominent science fiction writers, experimental and radical sci-fi movies, abstract painters, futuristic techno-activists, and many other great artists, who offered their view of the future, far and near, social and esoteric, technical and spiritual. Cluster Lizard creates a dystopian soundtrack for a bizarre sci-fi movie that was not filmed yet.

Herts is available on Prostir / I Shall Sing Until My Land Is Free. [Bandcamp]