digiv019: higuma "den of spirits" LP $15 / $18 / $26
January is always time for new beginnings and sewing the seeds for the year to come and I can think of no better way to start things off than with this massive, dusty blast from San Francisco duo, Higuma. Comprised of Barn Owl's Evan Caminiti and Lisa McGee. Like a phoenix from the shambles, "Den of Spirits" comes from a place buried deep and forgotten. These are sonic explorations steeped in the sound of the earth's core. Caminiti and McGee have concocted an epic brew of dirt-stained drones.

Higuma first showed their faces on their debut CDR on the great Root Strata label, but "Den of Spirits" shows them as a band evolving and more mature. Basic, tribal percussion underpins the scorchers as they soar. "The Ocelot" is a short, concise epic that bleeds in mid-air, stuck like a fading star resigned to a cold, desolate fate. Caminiti and McGee's voices echo through the dense, rich space they've created flowing perfectly into the contemplative loneliness of "Hexed and Vexed." This certainly is not child's play.

The flipside adds tinges of hope to the mix, piercing the murk with a cascade of ultraviolet. Again, it's the duo's voices that tell the story. "Sun Crown" never lets up. Caminiti's exquisite guitar explorations are puncuated by the absolutely inspiring vocals from McGee. Terrestrial choirs never sounded so good. Each subtle shift teases that everything will fall to shambles at any minute. It's a carefully constructed, delicately held-together mini-masterpiece. Don't worry, though, because when you come down, you'll come down gently into a bed of crystal clean air. Stunning all the way.

Vinyl only edition of 250 copies. Silkscreened sleeves with original art from Evan Caminiti.

SIDE A: 1.glacial tongues 2. the ocelot 3. hexed and vexed 4. hathor's dance
SIDE B: 1. kaleidoscope moon 2. sun crown 3. are you nobody too?