Despite having two of their albums in my collection, I’m not a close follower of Hammock. And having not explored much of their discography, Everything and Nothing is a stark contrast from Maybe They Will Sing For Us Tomorrow.
While MTWSFUT was a strictly ambient affair, Everything and Nothing’s palette is much broader.
There are rhythms here—not only the previously absent lead lines, but also drums, both acoustic and electronic. Not only that, but there are vocals. With words! Actual coherent words!
Stunning atmospherics aside (and let’s be clear, their trademark ambient swells are the base for every track), this is practically a pop album. At times it bears stark resemblance to European EDM like Röyksopp or Télepopmusik (especially on the title track), all the while managing to sound like Hammock.
As a whole, Everything and Nothing bears a strong resemblance to M83′s masterpiece Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming, not as much in that they sound similar (EAN is far more subdued), but that they share a mastery of blending pop sensibilities with atmospheric soundscapes. And the results here as just as spellbinding as they are there, creating a work that retains Hammock’s unmistakable voice while redefining it.
Stunning atmospherics aside (and let’s be clear, their trademark ambient swells are the base for every track), this is practically a pop album. At times it bears stark resemblance to European EDM like Röyksopp or Télepopmusik (especially on the title track), all the while managing to sound like Hammock.
As a whole, Everything and Nothing bears a strong resemblance to M83′s masterpiece Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming, not as much in that they sound similar (EAN is far more subdued), but that they share a mastery of blending pop sensibilities with atmospheric soundscapes. And the results here as just as spellbinding as they are there, creating a work that retains Hammock’s unmistakable voice while redefining it.