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For over two decades, the band HTRK has developed their distinct moody, evocative sound, blending electronic pop with noise rock. Celebrating this milestone comes "String of Hearts", a compilation of covers and remixes with contributions from friends and collaborators. Including next-gen underground favourites such as Coby Sey to veteran experimentalists Liars, this record showcases the range of the band's evolving music without dwelling in the past.

Spanning the band's initial successes up through their most recent release "Rhinestones", this compilation documents their shift from more industrial sound to warmer styles. Yet, the instrumentals are reshaped by the electronic tweaks of Loraine James and the ambient rhythms of Zebrablood. Meanwhile, Jonnine Standish's detached singing become desperate alien wails in the hands of Liars.

Radical Reinterpretations

Certain songs are warped almost completely. In one case, the intense, moody "Ha" is reinvented through Perila's artistry as an atmospheric piece that is vast and beautiful it approaches the sublime. The sole noticeable link is in the layered rendition of those once-sneering vocals. Likewise, "Siren Song", first a brief intermission, is extended by Kali Malone and Sunn O)))’s Stephen O’Malley into a droning six-minute soundscape, where the understated words are repeated as a hypnotic chant.

Loyal But Inventive Tweaks

Other tracks remain nearer to their source material but feature notable modifications. The version by Sharon Van Etten for "Poison" has less smog and more kick. Double Virgo's take on Rentboy adds percussion, strings, and lively dissonance. Such memorable instances are difficult to criticize, since every track seems creative yet faithful to the essence of the band.

Other Releases This Month

• The enigmatic pair from Belgium and Italy Sexo y Fantasia reshape their low-slung cosmic synth sound toward gloomier tones in their newest record Trabajando El Flex. Icy synths, mechanical singing, with lurking basslines, paired with their usual sensual subjects, evoke a mysterious, eerie venue.
• "Radioweaver" is the newest offering by the musician the Narrator, who is also part of the collective Life Is Beautiful. Throughout the songs, dreamy vocals blend with music which are beautiful yet strange, featuring heavenly electronics and strings are interrupted by digital errors and surprising shifts.
• Drawing from theater, Fellini, and dreams, Cinecittàx is the debut album by Brussels-based artist Che Vuoi. These nervous, low-fidelity mixes contain elements of poetry recitation, alternative rock, stage music, and slow-paced electronica, complete with nature samples and playful rhythms.