Quadric Surfaces

Hieroglyphic Beings 2024 album Quadric Surfaces consists of pieces Jamal Moss composed for a pair of surreal, abstract animations by Gabriela Gonzalez Rondon. Moss previously titled an album There Is No Acid in This House, and that title equally applies here, but this time theres hardly any house either. These are alien excursions that barely cling to a rhythmic pulse, implying a path rather than drawing it out for the listener. Tracks like "Triquetra" are riddled with sideways movements, aerial zooms, and skittering glitches. "Ogee" is a slow industrial crunch with micro-melodies gradually bubbling outward. "Brachistochrone" floats in a slow-motion haze, interrupting its Kraftwerk-esque ticking with noisy combustions. "Conchospiral" has more of an elevated pace, but its pinprick melodies sound like theyre barely struggling to avoid getting caught in quicksand. "Butterfly Curve" has a consistent pulse, yet theres another sequence that seems to move out of sync, and distorted buzzing noises add to the confusion. Keep paying attention and it all starts to make sense. Adjust to a new atmosphere and youll notice that Hieroglyphic Beings planet is teeming with life. Quadric Surfaces is no doubt one of his more challenging releases, but its just as unique and fascinating as anything else hes done. ~ Paul Simpson