Human Greed - Black Hill: Midnight at the Blighted Star

Black Hill is the third release from the UK’s finest exponents of “melancholic experimentalism” As well as the core membership of founder Michael Begg and his main collaborator Deryk Thomas, this release features well-poised contributions from Begg’s special guests;  Julia Kent (Antony & the Johnsons, Blind Cave Salamander) Fabrizio Palumbo (Larsen, Blind Cave Salamander) David Tibet (current 93) Clodagh Simonds (Fovea Hex, Mellow Candle) Black Hill, although in many ways far gentler than previous HG albums, packs a significant punch. Part nightmare train journey to a bruised and foreboding underworld, part voyage beyond the alluring tails of shooting stars to an aching void of longing, it may prove to be Begg’s sullen masterpiece.  Processed electronics, treated acoustic and electric instruments and numerous field recordings are eloquently arranged to present a composition as satisfying in its formal arrangement as it is breathtaking in its emotional impact. Although a very individual sound and, therefore, difficult to place within any specific genre/context, Human Greed sounding notes may be drawn from Stars of The Lid’s timeless, stretched melancholia, Dark Light era Coil, Nurse With Wound’s less whimsical moments, William Basinski’s evocations of lost time and romantic despair (see also note on Basinski below!) and even Eno’s ambient work. None of this, of course, accounts for the ever present, unsettling air of cruelty and, occasionally, latent violence, that adds a singularly dark note to their work. Michael Begg, who formed Human Greed in 2000, is more commonly recognised for his role within Clodagh Simonds’ Fovea Hex project. He has performed live with the band in Spain, France (at the specific request of film maker David Lynch), Italy and Ireland and appears on the records “Allure” (Die Stadt) and “Gone Every Evening” (Die Stadt) the latter being recorded in collaboration with Andrew Liles (Nurse With Wound)Deryk Thomas is primarily a visual artist though is well known in the independent music scene on account of his arresting images being deployed on various releases by Swans and Michael Gira’s more recent project, Angels of Light.

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