I listened to Tim Hecker’s latest album, Virigins, and there was no possible exit for me but the end of the final track. The haunted and seemingly endless corners of space that Hecker manages to fill and reach out into with his composition gripped me in a way I have always been looking for. While not quite as focused as Ravedeath, 1972, his last LP, Hecker manages to find new weapons for his sonic arsenal on Virgins. The opening of the track “Live Room” brought me to the image of a long abandoned music box or toy, covered in grime but still managing an eerie tune. For those interested in drone or ambient music, Tim Hecker is a name at the forefront of the genre and Virgins will capture you in a multifaceted net of density and rapture. A great album for a contemplative fall and an unsettling Halloween.

Published in Volume 68, Number 8 of The Uniter (October 23, 2013)