HTRK's milestone release, String of Hearts, is a genre-bending collection of covers and remixes that showcases the band's 22-year evolution from their gloomy, sensual sound to its current shape-shifting format. Spanning HTRK's early hits to their latest album Rhinestones, this all-star cast of collaborators from Liars to Coby Sey transforms the Melbourne band's sonic palette with Loraine James's IDM-style glitches and Zebrablood's atmospheric breaks.
The record spans a darker industrial tone to warmer territories, as Jonnine Standish's disaffected vocals are reimagined into desperate alien wails by Liars. Some tracks are drastically rearranged, using just a synth or lyric as a starting point, while others retain their core essence but with exciting adjustments. Sharon Van Etten's cover of Poison has less smog and more kick, and Double Virgo's take on Rentboy adds percussion, strings, and peppy discordance.
Standout moments come from Kali Malone and Sunn O)))'s Stephen O'Malley, who stretch out the six-minute soundscape of Siren Song into a droning masterpiece. The mysterious Belgian-Italian duo Sexo y Fantasia also delivers on their third album Trabajando El Flex, conjuring up a darker cosmic synth sound with icy synths and robotic vocals.
Across multiple releases this month, artists continue to push boundaries with eclectic collaborations. Radioweaver by the Narrator sees dreamy vocals interlaced with instrumentals that are both lovely and uncanny. Inspired by theatre, Fellini, and dreams, Cinecittàx is an eccentric debut album from Brussels-based artist Che Vuoi, blending spoken word, post-punk, cabaret, and downtempo electronic music.
In the wake of HTRK's String of Hearts, it's clear that their genre-agnostic sound has had a lasting impact on underground and commercial music. The band's shapeshifting format echoes through these releases, showcasing the breadth of creativity that continues to define this musical landscape.
The record spans a darker industrial tone to warmer territories, as Jonnine Standish's disaffected vocals are reimagined into desperate alien wails by Liars. Some tracks are drastically rearranged, using just a synth or lyric as a starting point, while others retain their core essence but with exciting adjustments. Sharon Van Etten's cover of Poison has less smog and more kick, and Double Virgo's take on Rentboy adds percussion, strings, and peppy discordance.
Standout moments come from Kali Malone and Sunn O)))'s Stephen O'Malley, who stretch out the six-minute soundscape of Siren Song into a droning masterpiece. The mysterious Belgian-Italian duo Sexo y Fantasia also delivers on their third album Trabajando El Flex, conjuring up a darker cosmic synth sound with icy synths and robotic vocals.
Across multiple releases this month, artists continue to push boundaries with eclectic collaborations. Radioweaver by the Narrator sees dreamy vocals interlaced with instrumentals that are both lovely and uncanny. Inspired by theatre, Fellini, and dreams, Cinecittàx is an eccentric debut album from Brussels-based artist Che Vuoi, blending spoken word, post-punk, cabaret, and downtempo electronic music.
In the wake of HTRK's String of Hearts, it's clear that their genre-agnostic sound has had a lasting impact on underground and commercial music. The band's shapeshifting format echoes through these releases, showcasing the breadth of creativity that continues to define this musical landscape.
. Like, from their early gloomy sound to this eclectic mix of covers & remixes... it's wild! The collaborations are so fire too - Liars, Coby Sey, Sharon Van Etten... each one brings a unique energy to the table 
. It's amazing how they've inspired all these other artists to keep pushing limits 
. And can we talk about Kali Malone & Sunn O)))'s take on Siren Song? 
. It's amazing to see them evolve over 22 years and collaborate with all these talented artists like Liars and Sharon Van Etten 
, especially the one on Poison - it's like a whole new song! 
And I love how they're experimenting with different sounds and styles 
. It's crazy to see how their music is influencing other artists too...this month alone has seen some really innovative releases from Radioweaver and Cinecittàx 
anyway back to the music... i love how they collaborated with all these different artists, it's like a musical party 
... what's up with those creepy Liars vocals tho? is it supposed to be weird or something? 
. But, you know, some of the changes might feel a bit jarring at first. Like, Double Virgo's take on Rentboy is cool and all, but I'm not sure I'd want to listen to it every day 
. Still, that Kali Malone and Sunn O)))'s Stephen O'Malley track? Forget about it... that's some next-level stuff 
I don't know what magic they worked on that one but it's like nothing else.
! It's amazing how artists are pushing boundaries and experimenting with different sounds. HTRK's String of Hearts is like a masterclass in genre-bending - it's so cool to see how they've evolved over 22 years, from that gloomy sound to something way more shape-shifting 
but in a good way lol 
and can we talk about Kali Malone & Sunn O)))'s remix of Siren Song?! 
i dont even know how they did it but its MASTERPIECE. 
- one minute you're in this gloomy, sensual world, and the next, you're in this darker, more cosmic place. It's like they're pushing boundaries just for fun 
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It's crazy to think about how HTRK's sound has been shaping things for 22 years now... I'm definitely gonna be listening to a lot more underground music now 
. This record is like a time machine for your ears, taking you on a wild ride through different genres and moods 
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. It's like HTRK took all their favorite sonic scraps from the past 22 years and mashed them together with some crazy talented collaborators 
And Sharon Van Etten's cover of Poison is like the perfect blend of dark and sparkly 
. It's like they're having this amazing dream party with all these different sounds and styles, and we get to come along for the ride 
. Bring on the eclecticism and let's get weird with it 
anyway, it's clear that htrk's influence will be felt for a long time to come 
I mean, I get why HTRK would wanna mix things up after 22 years, but some of these remixes feel like they're trying too hard 
Still, gotta give props to Kali Malone and Sunn O)))'s take on Siren Song - that sounds like some serious sonic experimentation 
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and I mean who wouldn't wanna collab with liars and coby sey 
Loraine James's IDM-style glitches are giving me life 
. The way they've woven together these incredible collaborations from Liars to Coby Sey is pure magic 
! I mean, Sharon Van Etten's cover of Poison is so fire 
! It's clear HTRK's sound has had a lasting impact, and these collabs just go to show how far-out the music scene is right now 