Manchester based Ad Hoc have been quietly putting out some very fine atmospheric music for the head (and feet) over the last few years. Erring on the deeper side and veering towards both sound scape and track music, this latest release from Berkeley Hunt carries on that tradition perfectly.
More of a mini-LP than EP, intro stylings are provided by the sweeping electronics of ‘Sunglade’ before mid paced groover ‘Lusco Fusco’. Snapping drums and keyboard soloing to the fore on this one. ‘The Gloaming’ meanwhile has a flute-led beginning that pushes into a more lazy house groove that is somehow hectic and head nodding at the same time.
‘Afterglow’ is more loop-based, chugging its way forward with deeper sounds which provides an aural sucker punch via its whistled outro to the peaking lights of ‘The Witching Hour’. Probably the highlight of the tracks here, it takes on the listener with a hectic buzz before breaking into a mid-point plateau. There’s a filmic quality to the organ flares that work in harmony with the dancing drums in between. ‘Moonglade’ is the closer, whose plaintive keyboard strokes bring down the credits. Ad Hoc showing again they don’t just throw things together.
