Celebrating an impressive 22-year career, Melbourne's influential duo HTRK have unveiled a stunning new project that pays homage to their unique sonic legacy. 'String of Hearts (Songs of HTRK)' is a brilliant collection of covers and remixes that brings together an extraordinary roster of musical talent from across the experimental spectrum.
A Who's Who of Experimental Music
The album serves as both a celebration and a reinterpretation, featuring contributions from next-generation underground favourites like Coby Sey to established icons including Liars. What makes this release particularly remarkable is how it traces HTRK's evolution from their darker, industrial beginnings to the warmer territory explored on their most recent album, 2021's 'Rhinestones'.
Released on the Ghostly International label, the collection demonstrates the enduring influence HTRK – comprised of Nigel Yang and Jonnine Standish – have wielded since their formation. Their distinctive blend of gloomy, sensual music, sitting at the intersection of electronic pop and noise rock, has left echoes that now resonate throughout both underground and commercial music scenes.
Radical Reinventions and Faithful Tributes
Some of the album's most striking moments come from the most radical reinterpretations. Sound artist Perila completely transforms 'Ha', turning the gruff, brooding original into an ambient composition that approaches the sublime. The layered rendition of Standish's once-sneering vocals provides the only connection to the source material.
Similarly dramatic is the treatment of 'Siren Song', originally a 49-second interlude that Kali Malone and Sunn O)))'s Stephen O'Malley stretch into a six-minute droning soundscape. The simple, mumbled lyric repeats like an absent-minded mantra, creating an entirely new listening experience.
Other contributors take a more recognisable approach while still adding their distinctive touch. Sharon Van Etten's cover of 'Poison' injects more kick into the track, while Double Virgo's version of 'Rentboy' introduces percussion, strings and peppy discordance to the original framework.
Beyond the Tribute: This Month's Essential Experimental Releases
While 'String of Hearts' rightly commands attention, several other notable experimental releases have emerged this month. Belgian-Italian duo Sexo y Fantasia deliver their brilliant third album 'Trabajando El Flex' on the Pinkman label, darkening their established cosmic synth sound with icy textures and skulking dub undertones.
London-based artist the Narrator, part of the collective Life Is Beautiful, presents 'Radioweaver', where dreamy vocals intertwine with both lovely and uncanny instrumentals. Meanwhile, Brussels-based artist Che Vuoi makes an eccentric debut with 'Cinecittàx', creating jittery, lo-fi collages that incorporate elements of spoken word, post-punk, and cabaret.
What makes HTRK's tribute album particularly successful is how each contributor manages to be both imaginative and faithful to the original magic of the duo's work. The collection avoids leaning too heavily on nostalgia while perfectly illustrating the breadth and enduring appeal of HTRK's shapeshifting sound over their remarkable two-decade career.
