Kuma Cove

by Luke Wyland

On Kuma Cove, Luke Wyland overlays loops of live improvisations, in different tempos, as a representation of his own stutter. As he says, “the musicality of my disfluency is revealed in its frictions, elongations, and foreshortenings.” What we get is a collection of songs with often slightly-disconcerting tones and drones, sometimes metallic, sometimes rumbling, sometimes soaring, with soothing motifs of melody in the foreground and unpredictable, staccato plucked strings or piano, giving Wyland his voice. There's structure and development to the songs, creating a narrative of contrasting emotions locked in tension, battling for ascendency. This is exactly what Tim Hecker does and Kuma Cove offers that intensity, albeit with less abrasive sounds. It's amazing to get lost in this music.