Harry Sword Livres

"An inspired and intuitive navigation of the drone continuum . . . with a compass firmly set to new and enlightening psychedelic truths"-- BECK In 1977 Sniffin' Glue verbalised the musical zeitgeist with their infamous 'this is a chord; this is another; now form a band' illustration. The drone requires neither chord nor band, representing - via its infinite pliability and accessibility - the ultimate folk music: a potent audio tool of personal liberation. Immersion in hypnotic and repetitive sounds allows us to step outside of ourselves, be it chant, a 120dB beasting from Sunn O))), standing front of the system as Jah Shaka drops a fresh dub or going full headphone immersion with Hawkwind. These experiences are akin to an audio portal - a sound Tardis to silence the hum and fizz of the unceasing inner voice. The drone exists outside of us, but also - paradoxically - within us all; an aural expression of a universal hum we can only hope to fleetingly channel. Monolithic Undertow is the definitive text to explore the music of drone and its related genres. Exhaustively researched this tome will not leave music fans interested in drone, doom, metal, and folk music unsatisfied.

"Monolithic Undertow explores the power of the drone - an audio carrier vessel capable of evoking womb-like warmth or cavernous dread. Requiring neither chord nor band, this potent audio tool of personal liberation offers us the chance to step outside of ourselves, to silence the hum and fizz of the unceasing inner voice. From Neolithic beginnings to bawdy medieval troubadours, Sufi mystics to Indian raga masters, cone shattering dubwise bass to Hawkwind and the outer reaches of Faust and Ash Ra Tempel; the seedy VHS hinterland of Electric Wizard, ritual amp worship of Earth and Sunn O))) and the many touch points in between, Monolithic Undertow alights a crooked path across musical, religious and subcultural frontiers, and provides us with an aural expression of a universal hum we can only hope to fleetingly channel."--Back cover