Risil Non Meters Vol. 1

• Words: Patric Fallon
• Label: Important
• XLR8R Rating: 5/10

Whether you're an amateur or a professional, everyone loves making their own noise. The fact couldn't be more true for Guillermo Scott Herren, the man and mind behind experimental hip-hop guise Prefuse 73, folktronic outfit Savath & Savalas, and now Risil. A collective that includes members of Tortoise, Battles, and Hella writes and records without a set goal of achieving a specific sound—and it's abundantly clear on their debut album, Non Meters Vol. 1. Each of the disc's 14 atmospheric songs are almost completely interchangeable. The occasional vocal or guitar interlude rises and falls in the mix of aimless electronics and free-form drum work. Tracks like the twinkling "Was Once for Zanzo" and the vocal-heavy "This Air I Breathe" head in the direction of a cohesive piece, but fall short of the mark before their half-way point. Put the album on while home alone if you're curious as to what this super-group sounds like, but don't expect to find a song in the haze of experiments.