Music is often associated with, or acts as, a soundtrack to a particular type of activity or motion. Dancing is the most obvious example in all its forms, but also latterly yoga, running or even driving. But at the other end of the spectrum there is music best suited to being at rest. But, time can be at a premium and carving out just a moment to be still and immerse yourself in just a single song without interruption or distraction can be difficult. Then at the same time, the attention economy can mean that unless something is immediate, it is too easily dismissed. But this is a mistake. In the urge to not waste time by cutting short an experience that doesn’t instantly gratify, do we miss the value, joy and uplift that comes from devoting the time to something more immersive and long lived? Watching a film uninterrupted for example, or more relevant here, listening to an album from beginning to end. This is where HUG comes in. There are obviously numerous long players that deserve and merit an hour of uninterrupted devotion, but this is one to add the list. Hard to pin down in some ways, but this is music that doesn’t meander, it floats with a quiet power.

Coming together like three disparate waveforms that have constructively interfered, Devendra Banhart, Gyan Riley and Noah Georgeson are HUG. Banhart is probably the most familiar name here to the casual listener, his ‘Rejoicing in the Hands’ is over 20 years old now, but still stands up a psych folk mini masterpiece. He’s been prolific too, rolling out ever evolving albums since the early 2000s, twisting that sound in ever more diverse and wonderful directions. In 2021, he collaborated with Noah Georgeson on ‘Refuge’ playing more with sound textures and ambience, perhaps hinting a little at the feel of some of the tracks on HUG. Gyan Riley meanwhile has cut more of a jazz path. Perhaps unsurprising, given his lineage. He’s worked with players like John Zorn and Bill Frisell amongst others, including his father, Terry. Give ‘Rainbow in Curved Air’ a go if you’re in the mood for a real trip. Needless to say, Riley’s avant garde credentials are extremely solid.

Both Riley and Banhart contribute guitar to the album, with Georgeson on bass. It’s those three core instruments that sit at the heart of the music here. However it’s nowhere near as constricting as that may appear. HUG’s opening track, ‘Cow with half Moon Parasol’ uses gentle string plucking with distant croaks to lure the listener into this otherworld they’ve created. Moving on to ‘Cucullatus’s Dream’ whose open space seems to drift, yet with purpose, creating a piece of dreamlike gorgeousness. ‘Aranachula’ is more playful, the gentle duelling of finger picking should force a smile from the hardest of faces. ‘Sarva Mangalam’ is one of the vocal based tracks and is a devotional chant dedicated to the divine mother. The arrangement goes beyond some of the more stripped back, guitar-only, basis of the earlier tracks. Gently building to a satisfying close. ‘Bathypelagic’ is a stately desert blues, with depth that reflects the track’s name (it’s the zone of open ocean that extends from 1000 - 4000m).

‘Forgotten Gate’ reduces the bare bones of musical structure to a melodic guitar pick that combines with a mournful horn ,or maybe harmonica, accompaniment. Taking the senses to the point where concentration meets immersion. ‘Homunculus in the foliage’ has more electronically atmospheric touches. Matched with the guitars, which become more remote and disparate as the piece evolves, before bringing those parts back together into a satisfying whole.

‘Near Death Ibiza’ belies the dramatic nature of its name, with a simple combination of gentle guitar exchanges evolves into something that holds the attention while soothing the heart and soul. ‘Petrichor’ has a fuller sound but still with the distinctive finger picking virtuosity this record is full of. The ability of the group to extract every last drop of emotion from a single note and the spaces in between is a constant joy. ‘Lippuvuori’ returns to a minimalist state, but is still deeply affecting, rising and falling, pushing the listener to feel each ebb and flow individually. ‘Catatumbo’ is a suitably restrained act of euphoria to close out the record. Just a beautiful piece of psychedelia inflected folk to draw the listener back to the surface of things and wonder when the next trip will begin. Take a minute, stop and immerse yourself in this record.

Available now via Luaka Bop.