Tracklist 01. Rasho 02. I Will Hang 03. Dac 04. Fuckstep 05. Brink of War 06. Becomedeath 07. Second Chance 08. No Matter What 09. Lay Low 10. Leider Nicht 11. Test Negative 12. Collateral 13. Wither 14. Cannot See 15. Happy Faces
Release Date 5th May 2014
Press Release News from the east – with Latvian artist Hezzel HANDS presents another very promising newcomer. “Exposure” is a worthwhile and surprisingly mature debut CD, firmly rooted in the rhythmic noise industrial sound, but with some peculiar ideas - a grimy, eclectic take at the genre, an offering for the dance floor and for the armchair even-handedly. Hezzel joins HANDS with a reference of several net releases, including a split album with Tatlum, having developed an original approach at rhythm’n’noise during this formative period. When listening to the 15 tracks of “Exposure”, you can never quite pin down the tradition Hezzel draws from: “Brink Of War” is reminiscent of the 1990s acid-infused hardcore sound of early Aphex Twin, “Fuckstep” is driven by classically convoluted, distorted beats, “Test Negative” adds an unexpected mechanical groove, “Collateral” is a nauseating kind of almost-hardcore and “Wither” adds such a captivating melody one is tempted to call it “IDM”. But whatever you say, in the end, it boils down to a convincing, contemporary form of rhythm’n’noise. Hezzel never forgets the little twists and turns that keep his tracks dynamic and compelling: Melodic backdrops, effective breaks and the occasional sample. A good part of the album is obviously centred around the subject of war, nuclear warfare specifically, including the beatless “Second Chance”; the overall impression of “Exposure” though is not so much of relentless aggression, but of a rather distinguished album, with moments of contemplation, intensely atmospheric tracks like “Lay Low” and an almost psychedelic undertone (“Rasho”) as a counterpoint to potential floor fillers like “Cannot See”, a track in which all the aspects of “Exposure” seem to amalgamate.