“Hive” is an apt title for the duo of Jeremy Long and Chris Philips’ debut collaborative effort. Drones seem to buzz and chords tend to swarm in each of the five parts comprising this self-titled disc, much like a larger-than-life hive of bees.  All cheesiness aside, the expansive sound Long and Philips create matches the deep drone output of Concern while channeling fellow space travelers like Pulse Emitter with a sense of timeless ambiance and engaging experimentation.

Given the group’s doom metal connections, it’s a surprise (absolute joy?) that the sounds here rise above simple dirges of loud, sustaining guitar chords.  Opening piece “I” immediately denies any possibility of stale genre limiters, but also seems to poke fun at the doom sound.  The song opens with a loud buzz of what I’d only guess to be amplifiers, probably Sunn brand too, only to build a harmonically intricate, deeply meditative drone.   The final track, “V,” is the only other piece that resembles doom but it still overpowers itself further than genre heavyweights like KTL.

“III” is one of the more subdued tracks here, but there’s something inexplicable going on.  There’s a sense of something bigger going on behind the physical resonance and apparent lack of movement.  I can’t help of recall Eno/Fripp’s No Pussyfooting, but with less action.  The tension is in the atmosphere.  Blown out feedback and wavering bricks of effects-laden noise make “IV” come off as a not-too-distant cousin of Shit and Shine’s less percussive work; maybe Kuss Mich Meine Liebe in particular.  The Load Records-esque feeling of ear-fuckery with distortion, feedback, and rhythm feels healthy when experienced at unnecessarily loud volume.  Someone needs to hurry up and press this great debut onto wax.