New double CD In The Wake of the Witch (ZOHARUM ZOHAR 344-2) from Hybryds, this Belgian / German combo who seem to have found a home on this Polish label. I think this is the third record we’ve heard from them, plus there was the spin-off item by Yasnaïa. I’m well out of depth with this genre of beat music which draws heavily from rave and techno scenes, and I see now the band’s outre image has taken a more gothic turn with cover art here that looks like it’s strayed from a DVD box set of Game Of Thrones or Stranger Things.
Compared with previous releases, this one is massively percussion-heavy – I think all the drums are played by TraumaSutra, a mysterious dark ambient act from Belgium – with only occasional bouts of synth action and vocal loops to induce the hoped-for ritualistic, trance states. Assuming they’re still in pursuit of that aim, of course – this one appears to be all-new music whereas previous releases have reissued highlights from their festival days in the 1990s. Main creative mind appears to be Magthea, but Katharina Galgareipi, Madeline Arndt and Peter Geysels are also involved. If you get tired of the non-stop thumpathon on disc one, look to the second disc for synth epics, awful poetry, story-telling, remixes and generally more approachable bashamogons.
I suppose Hybryds must have quite a dedicated following somewhere in the corners of Europe that still harbour a thirst for World Serpent, Zeuhl, and Gong all mixed together in one heady brew. (31/03/2025)