Hirror Ennifer is the debut album from Mamiffer the new project from Faith Coloccia and a revolving cast of co-conspirators including Aaron Turner (Isis, Old Man Gloom, Grey Machine, etc), Chris Common (These Arms Are Snakes), Brian Cook (These Arms Are Snakes, Botch, Russian Circles), Ryan Fredrickson (These Arms Are Snakes, Narrows), and Anne Hozoji Matheson-Margullis (Helms Alee). Just that list alone infuses this record with an intriguing air, but with the work in her previous outfit, Everlovely Lightningheart, Faith Coloccia carries weight on her own.
Hirror Ennifer is strangely affecting in that the mood or feeling which much of this record conjures (in me) is one of disconnection or divorce from the normal affectations of the human experience. Yes, that sounds extremely pretentious, but seriously Coloccia's piano playing is stark and moody at the same time which usually brings that type of emotional anti-reaction out of me. It would be very easy for me to say that the common ingredient which brings this collection of songs together is this piano playing, but that would also be a particularly lazy assessment and would also unfairly discount the contributions of the bass, drums, and electronic components found in the compositions. The piano led melodies in songs such as "This Land," "Annwn," "Black Water Running," and Suckling a Dead Litter" can be the focus of these tracks. But, the subtle complexities such as the electronic droning which subtly fills the aural space between the piano and drums in "Suckling a Dead Litter" or the fuzzed out bass parts in "This Land" and "Annwn" which provide an odd counterpoint to the piano melodies are wholly important to these compositions. Even the vocals are more of an another instrument rather than a focal point in the places where they are present in the form of chanting at the end of "Annwn" and the "ah's" in "Cyhraeth" all of which adds up to creating one of the more intriguing records of this year.
The debut album from Mamiffer is both soothing and affecting at the same time. Faith Coloccia and her cast of contributors fashion an excellent record that is mostly pleasant on the ears (read not ear drum shattering) that allows listeners to get lost in the stark piano melodies and aural atmospheres. This album is strangely addicting and one can easily find themselves listening to it over and over; there is nothing on Hirror Ennifer that is too obtrusive to distract listeners while it is on while at the same time there exists parts that can wholly grab one's attention if they want to pay attention. It is an interesting duality.
