New Music Tuesday: Here Lies Man and Yu Su

World influences update the metal and electronic genres

Sometimes you just need riffs, man.

On their new album, Ritual Divination, Los Angeles based four-piece Here Lies Man, bring the shred, and I’m here for it. Known for combining Sabbath licks with Afrobeat rhythms, the band pursues more of their stoner metal side, with bluesy licks that sound straight from Tony Iommi himself.

Formed by Antibalas members Marcos Garcia and Geoff Mann in 2017, the band produced albums and toured at a clip ever since. Ritual Divination is the first album to include members bassist JP Maramba and keyboardist Doug Organ, giving the record a live feel as they roll from one song to the next.

While the riffs stand out immediately, Mann’s (son of Herbie Mann) drums are also can’t miss. My favorite example of this is the mid-album run of “Can’t Kill It,” “Run Away Children,” “I Wander,” “Night Comes,” and “Come Inside.” These tracks are mostly built around the clave rhythm pattern that holds Afro-Cuban music together, which keeps them fresh and sets Here Lies Man apart from other Black Sabbath worship bands.

“We’re very conscious of how the rhythms service the riffs. Tony Iommi’s (Black Sabbath) innovation was to make the riff the organizing principle of a song. We are taking that same approach but employing a different organizing principle: For Iommi, it was the blues; for us, it comes directly from Africa.” - Marcos Garcia

Keyboardist Doug Organ is also crucial to the band’s unique sound as he lays detuned accents that complement the bluesy guitar riffs. The vocals' production keeps them layered in with the instruments, sometimes repeating the song title to allow the musicianship to shine. They’re also usually drenched in reverb, giving a contrast to the metal riffs they accompany.

Here Lies Man write their songs with a cinematic approach, and with Ritual Divination, the band focused on giving each piece it’s arc while still letting the tracks flow. At 15 songs and an hour’s running time, Here Lies Man don’t overstay their welcome. There’s always something new to find, and I will have this album on repeat. Ritual Divination is my favorite album of January and the first of the year to receive a perfect rating.

Rating: ✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️/ 5

Ritual Divination is available on RidingEasy Records.

Vancouver-based musician Yu Su knows how important an opening song is and her track “Xiu” immediately pulls you into Yellow River Blue.

The DJ and producer kicks the record off with the sounds of the pipa, a four-stringed instrument from her Chinese homeland. While she explores many electronic genres throughout the album, “Xiu” has an organic feel that elects for live drums and bass to accompany the pads and samples that accent throughout.

Yellow River Blue was written and recorded all over the world, and its sound reflects that. It’s a journey through ambient dub and downtempo but never stays in one mode. There’s even some triphop influence on the track “Klein,” a track that immediately made me think of a Portishead update. I’m also a big fan of the tracks “Dusty” as it builds from a quiet sequencer part into a rich liquid drum track and the closer “Melaleuca (at night)” which returns to China with a gorgeous pentatonic exercise that drives the track.

This record is laid back but also dancey while never being too clubby. It’s a phenomenal debut and one of the most unique and exciting electronic records I have heard in a while.

Rating: ✌️✌️✌️✌️/ 5

Yellow River Blue is available on bié Records.