REVIEW: Heddlu — Cantref (LP)
Defined as much by its opening swell as it is the tonality of its bold instrumentation, there’s no arguing against the presence of “Benthic,” one of eleven songs featured on the debut album from Heddlu, Cantref. While the sonic ambiance is definitely something to be enjoyed here, there’s a lot of structural integrity to appreciate within Cantref as well, and I would even go so far as to say that this is a record meant to appeal to the eclectic music lover as much as it is the serious pop fan curious about the next wave of curious sounds in 2022.
Rhythm, or often the absence of a conventional groove, is part of what makes everything from the familiar “Reset” to the more abstract “Descensionist” really attractive to the audience no matter what our interest in dancing might be. So much of what gives Cantref its signature sound is steeped in experimentalism and surrealism, but there’s also a postmodern bend to the way we’re made to interpret the larger story here. Heddlu isn’t trying to stack linguistics atop simplistic melodies in these tracks at all, but instead presents a picture made up of contrast and tension where most others are terribly streamlined.
This master mix had a lot of love put into it, and although this is my first time listening to Heddlu, I can tell that the seriousness of this project goes without question in the studio. There is no whimsy to balance out the devastating decadence of “Mouth Goes Dry,” “Cantref Gwaelod,” or “Daw Eto Haul,” but there doesn’t need to be — they stand on their own as an homage to the indulgences of an art-rock scene that is sadly nothing more than a memory for the mainstream nowadays. There’s more here I want this act exploring, but not with any sort of urgency.
The tension behind the verses in some of these songs is unbearable in spots, but when it comes to making a melody even more sterling than it would have been, creating some pressure against the bottom end in “Locker” and “Auto-De-Fe” was essential in this instance. As much as I like straightforward pop songcraft, there’s something really special about the uniqueness of this offering, especially when you take into account just how many indie acts have gone out of their way to make something almost identical to Cantref (with subpar results to put it quite mildly).
I didn’t know what to expect coming into this review, given that this is the first official release from Heddlu and it’s already getting a lot of praise from critics I would deem rather difficult to please in most circumstances, but it’s safe to say that Heddlu is onto something good in Cantref and doing a fine job of creating a sound listeners shouldn’t have a hard time connecting with at all. This is an era more intrigued by the celebration of surrealism than ever, and for our times, Cantref is a debut record you’re certain to become enamored with.
Colin Jordan
