If it’s possible to have a favourite mythical island, Hy Brasil is mine. Belief in its existence off the west coast of Ireland persisted until recently, enough to merit its inclusion on 19th-century maps, and some explorers (i.e. ‘conquerors’) tried in vain to find it. So, naturally, I would be protective of the name.
The real-life Hybrasil play what they describe as ‘indietronica’, a hybrid synthy-pop that seems to be everywhere these days. Songs are well-constructed and thoughtfully executed; nice little indie-rock tunes with requisite fuzz, synth and beats, with nods to every decade they’ve lived through, all tied up in a neat package and lined up on a tidy assembly line, ready for their single release dates.
The first track, ‘We Got Music’ was part of an EP released in September 2005 to minor independent success and applause from radio DJs - and this past June, they put out ‘God Bless The Devil’, also on the album. The problem is (as with many bands of this ilk) it seems that an impressive list of sounds, instruments and effects has been used as a substitute for real energy, and there’s not enough of any one ingredient to really make an impact. Most tracks have potential, but ultimately remind me of other bands that I’d rather be listening to.
Maybe it’s a bit overdone, maybe it’s just me, or maybe they’ll put away the recipe book and risk making a bit more of a mess. For the time being, Hybrasil (though not without promise) fail to live up to the mystique their name implies.