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"Increments" – not just about launching the disc: from the very beginning, Charles Hayward's nervous drumming and Will Brooks' noisy flow blend together. This opening track, followed by "Between the Word and the Drum", establishes a temporal structure where This Heat's experimental rock dialogues seamlessly with the artist's hip-hop. The album doesn't simply combine two universes; it dissolves them into one, creating a noise-rap where Hayward's rhythmic precision becomes the essential framework for Brooks' project.

A Break After Negro Necro Nekros (2024)

Released on December 5, 2025, on Relapse Records, the album follows Negro Necro Nekros (2024). This collaboration with Charles Hayward, drummer of the band This Heat, redefines noise music by incorporating precise drumming from experimental rock. If the previous album from 2024 constituted a turning point, this nine-track, 54 minutes 18 seconds long opus marks a major second step in the artist's discography, immediately preceding the release of Brilliance of a Falling Moon (2026). The meeting of these two figures is a turning point that validates the artist's place in the history of the genre, transforming a raw exploration into a structured work.

Between the Word and the Drum: the heart of the hybridization

At the heart of this project is the title "Between the Word and the Drum," which embodies the desired hybridity. It's not just a simple transition, but a demonstration of the disc's ability to bring together rap flow and experimental drumming in a controlled tension. This is where one can best hear how the collaborative production of Will Brooks and Charles Hayward dissolves the boundaries between street music and experimental laboratory. Each track, from "Sojourn" to "As Children Chant," contributes to this sonic architecture, where experimental rock not only punctuates the rhythm, but defines it.

Re-Evolution: the closing of a new era

The tracklist, which begins with "Increments" and concludes with "Re-Evolution", confirms this artistic synergy, where each track, from "Between the Word and the Drum" to "As Children Chant", serves as a link in a chain of nine distinct compositions, totaling 54 minutes and 18 seconds of listening. This work positions Brooks not only as a major figure in noise-rap, but also as an artist capable of integrating Hayward's energetic drumming into the rhythmic framework of his project, thus validating his evolution towards more complex structures. This central position in such a dense period, after previous works such as Precipice (2022) and Endangered Philosophies (2017), further strengthens Brooks' status as an artist in constant evolution. The collaboration with Hayward does not dilute his identity but enriches it, transforming a raw exploration into a structured work that anticipates future developments. The album does not end there; it acts as a strategic pivot, connecting the history of noise with the roots of experimental rock, preparing the ground for Brilliance of a Falling Moon. The closing track, "Re-Evolution", seals an album where the 54 minutes and 18 seconds duration testifies to a dense listening experience without excess. This album is not an end in itself, but an established reference in the discography of experimental artists. By positioning this opus as an unprecedented synthesis of noise-rap and experimental rock, it consolidates the status of Charles Hayward as an essential creative partner and of Will Brooks as a major figure in the genre. The artist's trajectory is strengthened by this album, which serves as a strategic pivot before the release of Brilliance of a Falling Moon (2026).

Technical specifications

- Release date : December 5, 2025 - Label : Relapse Records - Tracks : 9 (54 minutes 18 seconds) - Opening / closing : Increments / Re-Evolution - Previous album : Negro Necro Nekros (2024)