The Hunter Gracchus, Sacred Object of the Yiye People (side A)

The Hunter Gracchus follow in the path of groups like the Tower Recordings, Volcano the Bear, Kemialliset Ystävät, and the Jeweled Antler Collective.  2008's Sacred Object of the Yiye People is a fairly one-dimensional outing within the genre, but an incredibly well-executed one.  Everything here is played on acoustic instruments, and there are no vocals.  The performances are somehow both primitive and proficient at the same time.  Percussion is constant and often in the foreground.  The pieces evolve slowly and organically.  They're obviously improvised, but each piece stays within a narrow palette—the Hunter Gracchus sound like a regularly working group and not a one-off.  The recording is purposely lo-fi, though the boosted high frequencies, which seem to have happened at mastering, don't flatter this quality.  The simple front cover design and the photographed object on it fit the album perfectly.