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Brandon Seabrook — Hellbent Daydream
(Bandcamp Pyroclastic PR 45, 2026, CD / DL)

by Jon Davis, Published 2026-03-27

Hellbent Daydream Cover art

The last two releases by Brandon Seabrook featured a fairly large ensemble (Brutalovechamp) and Seabrook completely on his own (Object of Unknown Function). Hellbent Daydream falls in between, with the leader joined by Henry Fraser (bass), Erica Dicker (violin), and Elias Stemeseder (piano and synthesizers). The absence of drums and percussion lends the album a feeling of being chamber music — really weird chamber music. And as is usual with Seabrook, I mean weird in the best possible way. Unconventional as it is, much of the music in these seven tracks (all credited to Seabrook) feels composed rather than improvised, though it seems there’s likely some freedom given to the other members. I would describe the overall mood as playful, though there are quieter moments with a more introspective attitude. When Seabrook breaks out the banjo, we’re in for a very unusual treat. His banjo work has always been boundary-exploding, but here it’s more about the context where it appears, accompanied by a violin that ventures well beyond what could be called fiddle playing, and the scattered chords and flourishes of a piano that refuses to conform to traditional tonalities. The pieces are unpredictable, unhummable, and sometimes unhinged, but there is enough cooperation between the musicians that it never descends into chaos. Not quite. Hellbent Daydream is a creative gem from one of the most distinctive guitarists active today.

Filed under: New releases, 2026 releases

Related artist(s): Brandon Seabrook

More info
http://brandonseabrook.bandcamp.com/album/hellbent-daydream

 

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