Will Guthrie – Some Nasty

6.15.19 by Ryan Masteller

Will Guthrie is probably haunted by a ghost drum kit that follows him around on a noncorporeal plane, playing itself at the most inopportune moments and freaking Will out. It won’t let him sleep, either, which is a whole other story, but let’s just say that the restless nights surely take a toll on Will’s constitution throughout the day, also making the ghost drum kit seem more real even then. It’s enough to drive a rational person mad.

“Some Nasty” pairs Guthrie with Hasana Editions, the tape label based in Bandung, Indonesia. “Some Nasty” also pairs Guthrie with the madness that’s slowly overtaking him, and Hasana has given the France-based Australian an outlet for him to turn that madness into creative expression. Nice one, then, Hasana Editions! Guthrie spreads his percussive acumen over two long tracks, one per side, like drum-based jelly on a biscuit. Among the activity we have a propulsive John McEntire–inflected breakdown, a creepy spoken-word bit, an ambient pullback, more creepiness, but this time like horror-movie creepy, and then some full-kit work, which devolves into more restrained tiptoeing, like there’s someone trying not to arouse the attention of a certain watchful poltergeist.

Through it all, we ride (get it, there are “ride” cymbals) with Guthrie through down the halls of his mind on a crazy motor scooter hell-bent on knocking over furniture as it goes. Nothing remains as it is for long, as if the mind can’t settle itself on one path forward. It’s constantly moving, constantly shifting, and Guthrie’s constantly looking over his shoulder, changing it up, having visions, not sleeping, falling asleep at the wheel of the motor scooter, and we’re all just riding pinion and shrieking along with him.

Ghosts are scary, especially drums!

Only seven remain of the original 100-tape release, so get on over to Hasana Editions now, before it’s too late!