Out of the Ether

Even though Philly-based band the Writhing Squares is made up of just two people, they conjure enough layers of sonic sludge to sound not just like a large band on full power, but a wall of beautifully gnarled noise calling out from the depths of a black hole. Building on the clatter of decidedly primitive drum-machine rhythms, Daniel Provenzano's overdriven bass lines wobble and churn as his bandmate Kevin Nickles fills in any space with tentacular waves of saxophone, delay-drenched vocals and deep-fried electronics. Their numbers are small but the sound is far from minimal. Second full-length Out of the Ether is composed of just five pieces where the band's ever-murky cosmic tripping is sounding bigger and less contained than ever before. Space rock pioneers Hawkwind are often pointed to as a frame of reference for the Writhing Squares' deeply spacey and sometimes sci-fi sound, and the repetitive, fuzzy basslines, decaying echos, and celestial synths all back that up. However, there'