New album, “Shrines”, out on April 26th!
The album marks something of a change of pace for Lachlan. In contrast to his work with Hashshashin – whose emphasis on odd-time signatures, cinematic composition, and Central Eastern influences has marked them out in the world of post-rock – Shrines is a purely ambient affair inspired by Loscil, Fennesz, and Rafael Anton Irisarri.
It’s also a deeply collaborative project, co-produced by Lachlan’s long-time collaborator Tim Carr (We Lost The Sea, Totally Unicorn), mastered by Becki Whitton, and featuring contributions from some of Australia’s finest experimental musicians, including Aphir, Bonniesongs, Gelareh Pour (ZÖJ), Helen Svoboda, Joseph Rabjohns (Kodiak Empire), and Peter Hollo (FourPlay String Quartet).
The album follows Hashshashin’s recent EP, Śaraṇaṃ (2023), and a split record in 2021 with fellow guitarist Joseph Rabjohns, Eclipsing // Orbs.
“This record is unlike any other I’ve been a part of,” comments Lachlan. “It began with a period of experimentation. I disappeared into my home studio for hours on end, trying to push my pedalboard into strange new territories. Gradually, I recorded a collection of loops and textures without any particular aim.”
“After wading through the collection, I started sending tracks to other musicians to respond to. From the results that came back, the idea of the album began to take shape. Tim and I then had to sit down and work out how to refine and re-arrange the material.”
Shrines can be thought of as a collection of immersive sonic worlds – some of which floating by like works of luminous alien beauty, while others have a grounded, earthy feeling. The opening track, ‘Objects come in waves’, conveys an ecstatic state, while the album’s final song, ‘Dissipating in the sun’, evokes a deep and silent meditation. In between, ‘And the trees swaying gently like flame’ suggests consciousness flooded with light and beauty, while ‘Merely smoke ascending’ flickers as low and lazily as incense smoke rising into the air.
