Helvetia, The Unknown.

Still in Rock and Helvetia Presents Sudden Hex

Duster is a mythical band of the 1990s. Hailing from San Jose, California, they quickly made a name for themselves with indie rock albums that were almost whispery and always contrasted with a deep, haunting music. Clay Parton, Canaan Dove Amber and Jason Albertini knew what they were doing. Jason became more and more central to the band, until he announced the creation of Helvetia in 2005.

Helvetia already made a name for itself in 2021 with Essential Aliens, surely one of the top LPs of the year. He returns these days with Presents Sudden Hex, “the eighth installment of the inaugural Joyful Noise Recordings 2021 Gray Area Cassette Series that features 10 artists from JNR’s extended family”. It’s darker than usual. More deconstructed, more raw, less melancholic. A question arises: who is Jason Albertini? I’ll try to explore this LP from top to bottom in order to find some kind of answer, in 4 points:

1- Helvetia has a very particular love. Its music is often reminiscent of CAN and German experimental rock from the 70s. That said, it never borrows from electronic music (which is great!), except for an attraction for Martian sounds that really seem to be the work of a UFO (see “Death Trip“). Helvetia is thus a 👽.

2- Helvetia loves jazz. “Men Ruin Things” and “Hashishian” reminds me of the drums of a modern free jazz band. Helvetia is a 🎺 lover. This was already found on Essential Aliens, there is a real continuity in his work.

3- Helvetia carries a love for the nineties that has disappeared from the screens. Faithful to the Built to Spill and Sonic Youth of this world, he composes his music with a will to surprise, and, often, to shock. This desire takes precedence over the melodies, unlike the most current post-nineties bands whose stated objective is to hammer the mind with indelible refrains.

4- Like me, Helvetia has a fascination for Halloween. Starting with “Set to Destroy” all the way through to “The Evil in You Makes it Hard“, he brings a very heavy atmosphere to an LP that seems to give way at times to an evil incantation that would shake the walls of the village, very quickly, like a butterfly agonizing on the ground. Helvetia is thus 🎃.

All this makes Presents Sudden Hex an exceptional and unique LP. What a surprise!