Daniel Blumberg
's two devastating 2018 releases,
Minus
and the earlier-recorded
Hebronix
album
Liv
, were harsh, challenging efforts that bore no resemblance to the work of his earlier indie rock groups such as
Cajun Dance Party
and
Yuck
.
On&On
features the same musicians who played on
, all regulars at London's famed avant/improv club Cafe OTO: cellist
Ute Kanngiesser
, violinist
Billy Steiger
, double bassist
Tom Wheatley
, and drummer
Jim White
(
Dirty Three
). The release is a song cycle that circles back to certain lyrical and musical themes, but incorporates plenty of improvisation and retains an unsteadiness that constantly keeps it on edge. Recorded by
Peter Walsh
, the album has an uncomfortably intimate sound, with every scraped string and percussive hit bolting out directly into the listener's eardrums. The record's title track threads the album together, appearing four times, each with an extra "&On" attached, signifying
Blumberg
's constantly renewed hope for everlasting love. While tracks like the fractured, jarring "Sidestep Summer" are as uneasy as
's previous two records,
is ultimately much more hopeful, if not quite inviting or accessible. Aside from the recurring title track, "Bound" is one of the album's more optimistic moments, starting out with an almost breezy guitar melody and switching up halfway through, as
expresses a desire "to be offline together." "Silence Breaker," however, is much more unnerving, with
Elvin Brandhi
's auto-tuned wails and screeches adding to the skin-crawling feel of the steely strings and
's cathartic moaning. Things come to a sort of resolution with closing track "Pillow," which reflects on a relationship that seems to be healthy, despite his imperfections. ~ Paul Simpson