Release Notes
Label: Hammock Music Label
Released: October 25, 2024
Mastered By: Emre Ramazanoglu
Artwork By: Zach McNair
See Also: Interview with Hammock
If You Like: Explosions in the Sky, Sigur Rós, This Will Destroy You, and Stars of the Lid
I’ve been listening to and writing about Hammock since I started Headphone Commute in 2008. There have been many albums and EPs ever since, and their latest, From the Void, is the thirteenth full-length among the many catalogue entries. The Nashville-based duo of Marc Byrd and Andrew Thompson do not steer far from their aesthetic, and that’s fantastic. This music is my comfort for the soul – one to which I turn to get precisely what I need at times of turbulence and angst – and every time, this music brings me lifts me up into serenity and peace. In January of 2023, the duo, alongside Matt Kidd, known as Slow Meadow, released Love in the Void. The album received critical acclaim, and, of course, it appeared on my Best of the Year selections in the Music For Walking And Not Crying In The Autumn Rain list. A few pieces were still in progress and didn’t make it onto the album. After further development, they can be found here, along with new tracks adding up to about 40 minutes of playtime, feeling both as an extension to last year’s release and an album able to withstand on its own. But I always seem to play them in order. And I think you should too…
There are four songs we were considering for ‘Love in the Void’ that weren’t fully fleshed out. Listening to them again, we decided they deserved to be brought to life because of how they made us feel. In addition, we decided to create four new pieces inspired by LITV. Adding these pieces and pulling them from the void creates what we think is a bridge between LITV and our next LP, as well as a nice stand-alone document of music.
— Marc Byrd
In this follow-up, we’re back in the more optimistic rather than the sombre territory. This theme evokes the images of rebirth, a phoenix rising from the ashes of the burned-out heart, a smile appearing on the face still wet with tears, and the clouds slowly parting to reveal another day. Love in the Void was given a royal treatment, including a limited edition signed test pressing, which you can still snag on the duo’s Bandcamp. There’s even a bunch of apparel to celebrate the release. But if you missed it, have no fear – you can grab a two-LP bundle and save on shipping costs. This is another big win for Hammock. And I can’t get enough!
