IM SIEL

A band that has been around since 2009 finally introduced itself to the music world in 2014 with a one track self-titled EP in 2014 followed by a second shorter one-track EP in 2018 but didn't get around to releasing a bonafide album-length musical experience until 2022. GIANT HEDGEHOG hails from Münster, Germany and has featured the lineup of Niklas Tieke (guitar), Patrick Aguilar (bass), Moritz Nixdorf (drums) and Thomas Mrosek (saxophone, flute for its entire 13 years existence. The band's debut IM SIEL ( means "In The Sewer") has thrilled the prog world with the band's eclectic approach of melding King Crimsonian "Red" era prog with jazz, avant-prog, folk and post-rock. Other self-claimed references include Kayo Dot (sounds legit), Maudlin of the Well (ditto) and Van Der Graaf Generator (ain't hearing it myself).

IM SIEL, an album of five tracks slinking over the 46-minute mark showcases the band's proclivities for really long drawn out proggy tracks which for those of us who love to delve into the deepest recesses of the prog world rejoice in such dedication to the craft. The opening "Gemurmel Aus Dem Brunnen" serves as a near 8-minute opener that sets the pace for oddly timed cyclical loops that fall square into the world of post-rock or more accurately avant-post-prog rock that features the delicate march of rhythmic chunks only punctuated by bizarre time signature changes accompanied by folky flute runs and jazz outbursts of saxophone. Half the album is dedicated to the following title track which at nearly 24 minutes explores a slew of prog expressions ranging from dreamy folky passages to heavy guitar laden distortion parties that truly do delve into the world of Kayo Dot albeit with a more structured post-rock lifeline to keep things from spiraling into outer space.

Noticeably missing from the GIANT HEDGEHOG experience is the use of keyboards or synthesizers. The jittery even spidery guitar riffs alternate between clean slightly reverbed tones to full-on rock guitar outbursts but the avant-prog tendencies of crazy time signatures are incessant with frequent changes into new territories all the while maintaining a steady procession with a seemingly infinite number of variations on a melodic theme. Although the album mostly exists in a dreamy jazzy folk state, there are occasional outbursts of real metal bombast although they are fleeting and used as an accent for contrast rather than providing a major role. There are also few vocals to be heard on this one and you can expect a nearly all instrumental album with the only exception occurring on the ending moments of "Damals Am Teiche" which features a guest female offering wordless vocals.

Although there are five tracks, there are so many different twists and turns that it's really an album experience here. Generally speaking the mood is sombre and depressive as far as the guitar chords and avant-prog jitteriness is concerned however the saxophone adds a bright shining ray of hope through it all. The contrast is quite bizarre and could easily crumble under its own weight if not dexterously performed with tightrope walking caution. Although this is the band's debut album, the seasoned musicianship shines through as it must take a decade to master this sort of juggling of elements without everything sounding forced or even worse ludicrous. Although many influences seep into the recipe of GIANT HEDGEHOG, this band has definitely forged their own path into the world of instrumental prog. I would definitely classify this as difficult musical listening for the experienced progger but the music while wickedly savage also has a gentle beauty to it as well.

Generally speaking this is sort of a mopey album. The tempos are slow and clumsy but that is obviously purposeful. The underlying post-rock aspects never relent nor do the avant-prog angularities as far as choices of notes, scales and otherworldliness. The folk and jazz aspects keep this from entering complete doom and gloom territory. All i can say is that GIANT HEDGEHOG has released a fascinating debut of avant-jazz-post-rock that will surely appeal to Kayo Dot or Maudlin of the Well fans. This is a musical experience like few others as things are mixed in a way i've never heard. Perhaps this really was beamed down by an alien world where hedgehogs rule and they chose these guys from Germany to be the ambassadors of their sound. Any way you slice it this is a bizarre ride with the four musicians crafting intricately designed angularities that are reigned in by a structured framework of compositional fortitude.