Drop Out III

Early on in their respective careers, New Yorks White Hills and Manchester-based collective Gnod recorded a few collaborations together, with sessions at Camberwells Dropout Studio appearing on a pair of albums around 2009-2010. The first Drop Out release was only available as a CD-R through White Hills Drug Space Records and sold during the groups shows, while Gnod Drop Out with White Hills II was given a wider release through Rocket Recordings, and has been re-pressed multiple times. Drop Out III, issued by Thrill Jockey in 2025, revisits this era, unearthing unreleased material and showcasing alternate versions of the released tracks, presented in new mixes with previously unheard sounds from the original sessions. The tracks range from more zoned-in Krautrock-inspired explorations to meandering stoner jams. "Drop Out" is a straight-ahead motorik cruise with fuzzy guitars and vintage analog synths that glimmer and radiate. "Run-A-Round" continues down this road, adding a simple vocal chant and more swirling textures. "Wellhang" is much more cinematic, repeating a haunting melody atop a captivating drum pattern. The churning psychedelic rhythm of "Spaced Man" is accompanied by crazed, maniacal laughter and ferocious moaning before the song finally cools down. "Undressing Time," a previously unreleased cut, is a surprising and quite refreshing venture into slipstream-like new age electronics. "Air Streams," broken up into two interludes on the original Drop Out releases, is a much darker synth piece that ends up being almost aggressively shrouded in fog. "Unify," another track previously left in the vault, is actually far more vocal-driven than anything else on Drop Out III, with lyrics revolving around the theme of feeling like a stranger in this world, and its acid-washed guitar soloing and gentle, flute-laced comedown make it feel like the most traditionally psychedelic song on the album. Gnod and White Hills both remain overwhelmingly prolific, but neither group seems interested in staying in the same sonic space for too long, and the sprawling Drop Out III covers even more ground than the sessions original releases. Whats more, the digital edition includes a bonus album containing a different version of the spacy, ritualistic "Per Sempre" and several previously unreleased songs from the original sessions, with Gnods self-explanatory "Nothing NEU! Under the Sky" being a highlight. ~ Paul Simpson