While Nicole Miglis, Trayer Tryon, and Zach Tetreault met in middle school, this release is far from juvenile. The three friends formed Hundred Waters in Gainesville, Florida in October of 2011. Ever since, they have been producing under OWSLA. This label is run by Skrillex, which is very unlikely given their art rock sound. Despite this uncommon connection, Hundred Waters has been doing well and released their third full-length release, Communicating, on September 14th, 2017.
Pitchfork described their initial self-titled album as “bewitching digital folk.” Since 2012, the group has refined this sound to develop a sound that’s still part acoustic and part electronic, but more organic. The album flow is so natural, it seems like a crime to listen to it singularly. “Wave to Anchor” flows so seamlessly into “Prison Guard” that I cannot imagine switching or shuffling through tracks. That being said, the songs themselves can still shine.
This album is extremely personal from the first track. “Particle” describes a fear of letting go that perhaps is an outlet for the rest of the collection. After, we hear about struggles relating to feeling trapped and experiencing loss. These burdens are heavy and Hundred Waters seems to use Communicating as a release. The vulnerability in this album goes far beyond the lyrics, there were many experimental risks taken throughout the album. There are times where noise is mixed into a simple pop hooks to create something atmospheric and exploratory.
Hundred Waters has curated their own festival, FORM, in Acrosanti, Arizona. Fans can be on the lookout for the announcement of the 2018 edition of this festival. This festival takes place in an eco-friendly hub and features talks, tech, art, and more in addition to the music. Similar to Hundred Waters’ modern musicality, this festival has been described as being ahead of its time.
Recommended If You Like: Bjork, Perfume Genius, Dirty Projectors
Recommended Tracks: Particle, Firelight, Blanket Me
Do Not Play: None
Written by Miranda Roberts on 11/13/2017