Hey!Tonal - Hey!Tonal

The pedigree of this collective is unquestionable. Members and ex-members of Storm & Stress, Sweep The Leg Johnny, Maps & Atlases and Joan of Arc, among others, combine in unconventional fashion to whip up a batch of deliciously accomplished mathy jazz-rock snacks. The results share common ground with both HEALTH and Don Caballero, via a novel route. Project co-ordinator Mitch Cheney started by recording some of Kevin Shea's seriously banging drum tracks then chopping them into shape with the addition of some inspired and complex instrumental contributions from his colleagues, who were at the time scattered across North America. Gradually the piece came together over distance, one element at a time, and the results, thanks to Cheney and collaborator Alan Mills, are surprisingly musical. Some skewed sampling and audio manipulation bring an eccentric edginess without detracting from what are fundamentally strong compositions. The ugly but quite awesome Kcraze is particularly highly recommended.