As the Boredoms have repeatedly proved, you can’t have too many drummers. If anything, the lineup of Portland-based instrumental collective Secret Drum Band needs more—on their recent second album, Chuva (Moon Glyph), they’ve usually got two or three at a time.
I have irrationally strong feelings about Crash Worship, but I won’t dispute the comparison beyond saying that SDB sound way less evil. I like the rough-and-ready feel of Chuva: the unfussy, energetic drumming centers acoustic rather than electronic sounds, and the elements that might read as “new age” (heavily reverbed chants, drifty synths, wilderness ambience) stick to supporting roles, inflecting the percussion with extra color and texture. The compositions evolve and progress in compelling ways, not just by adding and subtracting layers but also by shifting through distinct movements and sections.
