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Tim Hecker, Montreal-based musician and producer, releases one of this year’s most impressive ambient drone albums in few days. Ravedeath, 1972 was partly recorded and engineered by Ben Frost in Reykjavík and also without knowing this fact, Hecker’s eight album bears some of the expressive and haunting marks of Frost’s style. True to the experimental character of droning ambient and Hecker’s passion for going to the very brink of audience’s understanding, one of the most notable motives is the photo of throwing the piano from the roof of the building. Aggression and barbarism that dwell in the idea of destroying traditional art, is disputable, almost controversial and that’s one of Hecker’s important talents: to force his audience think and question not only his droning, difficult art, but the art itself.

Following the roughness and curious non-violent demolation of traditions comes also the video for The Piano Drop (free download via Altered Zones), aptly named introductory song from Ravedeath, 1972. Despite its name, it features no explicit sounds of piano. The Piano Drop is rather created by Hecker’s typical lush and pulsating drones that are later complemented by warped and highly filtered synthesizers and manipulated electronics. Musical experience is much tamer and dreamier than the thought behind it, but it’s augmented and evolved on the surface of 11 another songs. Question, dispute, perceive - that’s what Tim Hecker wants from us.

(EDIT on 28-MARCH: Since the original video was terminated “due to multiple third-party notifications of copyright infringement,” here is less explicit and utterly fanmade video for those, who want to listen to the song without seeing the former footage.)