Hot Air Balloon continues Pile’s mastery of intricate post-hardcore, animating a skeleton of sludge with the weeping flesh of psychedelic folk. Off the heels of their latest album All Fiction, the EP is composed of songs left off the final cut. Far from scraps, each song on Hot Air Balloon is striking enough to stand alone.
Listening to All Fiction front to back, we are treated to an album of songs that tend to deviate from the typical rock band format. The energy of the album ebbs and flows, increasing the impact of the more energy-intense tracks. The guitar is not used as the centerpiece of songs, but its intensity is made all the more real when it does appear.
Pile have never quite released the same album twice, yet remain almost impossibly consistent. The ability to constantly change and progress their sound while still remaining unequivocally true to themselves is a testament to the strength of their songwriting and their collective performances. All Fiction is their biggest leap into new territory thus far, and yet it feels like the Pile we’ve always loved.
In August of 2021, Pile released an LP perfect for laying under the stars; Songs Known Together, Alone consisting of newly recorded tracks pulled from Pile's massive collection accompanied by a clever change in production. The tracks are all reimagined versions of Pile songs recorded solo by frontman Rick Maguire.
Drawing you in is the little moments, where ambient music shines. Maybe it’s the way one note is sustained and lingers in the air; maybe it could be the hint of cello and viola that is interdependent through the record. All that matters is that the music maintains a spell over you, rendering the outside world nonexistent for a little while.
