Inspired by the ideas of meditation and selflessness found in religious texts, like Annie Dillard’s Holy the Firm, and the quieter side of Brooklyn’s environment, Herb Lore’s Mysticism is an improvised guitar record that could clearly be classified as “elemental music.”

Recorded largely in single takes, Mysticism finds Herb Lore discovering freedom in playing acoustic and electric guitars in a way that reflects the still ambiance of a rainy day in the city. Beds of soft acoustic fingerpicking and various field recordings make up the background of these songs, while HL plays electric leads over the top that at times appear spindly and explorative, like a Garcia solo, and then at other times, it can be loud and full of fuzz. With the addition of Sophie Sparnroft (voice and upright bass), and Bosch Akram (clarinet), the album easily takes on a pastoral and ritualistic vibe.

This is especially the case with the slow burning, spiritually metamorphic piece, “Interrupted Meditation.” This cut shifts from a stoic contemplative track with droning bass, ethereal wordless vocalizations, and clarinet trills, into a thunderous sonic ego death, with thunderous reverberating electric riffs rumbling over bells and trickling water, sounding not too unlike Isaiah Mitchell’s Chöd ritual performances. The concluding epic track, “Enlightenment,” takes this vibe even further by chugging out a slow stomping rhythm with slamming drums, howling guitars and eerie vocals that together sound like a lost Bardo Pond/Jeffrey Alexander & The Heavy Lidders collab, before fading into several minutes of ocean sounds.

At once both meditative and commanding, this album is indeed quite the mystical affair. An absolute must have for anyone with a deep appreciation of Six Organs of Admittance, Golden Brown or The Entourage Music & Theatre Ensemble. Get your copy on cassette or digital today.

-KH