Hammock’s “Sleepover” Series

I’ve been meaning to review Hammock’s music for quite some time now. Marc Byrd and Andrew Thompson (some of you might recognize their names from their previous project, Common Children) have released several recordings of very fine and lovely guitar-based drone/ambient music.

Hammock’s latest release has just come out. Entitled The Sleepover Series, Volume One, the music on the disc is influenced by both Christian and Zen mysticism. From the most recent Tonevendor catalog update:

Marc has been studying both Zen and Christian mysticism for the last two years. There are two books that have had the most impact on him, The Still Point by William Johnston and The Ground We Share by Robert Aitken and Brother David Steindel-Rast. The Sleepover Series is inspired by both of these traditions of mysticism… All of the music on this record was composed after moments of centering prayer and/or sitting zazen. It is Marc’s hope that this music will help the listener become more aware of the silent place within.

…The Sleepover Series Vol. 1 features Marc Byrd’s densely layered, electric guitars. The music itself draws from the subtlety of Ambient and the serenity of New Age. In these compositions, you will hear echoes of guitarists Jeff Pearce, Michael Hedges and William Ackerman, the ambient/atmospheric approach of Steve Roach, Brian Eno and Deuter’s Nada Himalaya album, and the influence of the sleep music/meditation therapy research of Dr. Jeffrey Thompson, Don Campbell and Master Charles’ Synchronicity Series.

Somewhere Cold, those lovers of all things droney and swirly, has a review of the album as well as a feature on the band.