H A S T - Elegy (2019)

H A S T, founded by alto saxophone player Rob Banken, is an instrumental band rooted in jazz, heavy rock and improvisation. Their signature sound can best be described as not shying away from exploratory intellect while still maintaining passages of stunning simplicity, rock riffs and free improvisation.

Conjuring up lush minimal soundscapes intertwined with noise elements, reminiscent of some kind of weird mixture between a Mondriaan and Pollock painting, H A S T is mind-blowing, ear-blowing and heart-blowing, exploring extreme dynamics, pure simplicity and everything in between.

‘Elegy’ is a gloomy creature of many moods and colours: sometimes gnawing, scratching and clawing (‘Blues’, ‘Op Ieder Potje Past Een Dekseltje’), sometimes sweet and innocent (‘Duet’, ‘Old Boy’). The vast crescendos that are ‘Elegy’, the album’s title track, and ‘Mortal Kombat Champion of the World’ put on display how versatile H A S T’s sound wizardry really is.

‘Elegy’ was recorded in studio La Patrie in Ghent with Koen Gisen, who also produced albums of Nordmann, De Beren Gieren, Flying Horseman, Dans Dans…

LINE-UP:

Rob Banken - alto saxophone
Artan Buleshkaj - guitar
Roeland Celis - guitar
Cyrille Obermüller - double bass
Elias Devoldere - drums