Strings of Consciousness: From Beyond Love

The punnily-named Strings of Consciousness are anything but silly — there’s dark mood pervading From Beyond Love that lingers long after the final second has ticked away. The Strings, a collective whose core is comprised of Philippe Petit (no, not the guy who walked across the Twin Towers) and Herve Vincenti, perform “art rock” in the truest sense of the word. From Beyond Love feels more like walking through an exhibit of installations rather than listening to a music album.

Conventional song structures are present here, albeit in a very loose and improvisational way. The purest distillation of this collective’s MO can be found in the final piece, the ominous “Hurt is Where the Home Is”. As an argument between a man and woman builds from bitter jabs to fits of anger, the brooding ambience at the beginning gives way to atonality. This isn’t for the faint of heart, nor for those who like their rock music simple.