Splashgirl - Hibernation (2015)

Doom jazz trio Splashgirl holds a special place in the HUBRO catalogue as it was the first band to release a record on the label. The group’s two previous albums, “Field Day Rituals” and “Pressure”, both received glowing reviews and landed on a number of year’s-best lists compiled by the international music press. Splashgirl helped to put the small HUBRO label on the world map.

On the band’s fifth album, “Hibernation”, they have continued their close collaboration with technician and producer Randall Dunn (Earth, Sunn O))), Marissa Nadler), which began when Dunn mixed their breakthrough album “Pressure” in 2011. “Hibernation” presents a striking contrast to the band’s previous releases. The soundscape has never been as extensive and probing, and the use of synths, electronics and processing is now more prominent than before. The album was recorded in the course of an intense week at Hljodriti Studio in Hafnarfjördur, Iceland. Seattle-based Skerik guested on saxophones and electronics.

This time around the band invited the producer to join in the process at an earlier point in time than previously, before the tunes were completely formed or rehearsed. “We felt that it was liberating to be less prepared than usual at our first meeting with Randall. As a result we experienced a crazy amount of energy in the studio, and had an amazingly good feeling of having nothing to lose or defend. We’re left with the feeling of having opened a lot of new doors for ourselves as a band.”

The music on “Hibernation” is rich in detail, catchy and laid-back, and has a solid drive and a powerful motor. Now the band sounds better than ever.