HP/MP

As far as I know, all the info in the world about (Stephen Clark’s glitchy electronica solo act) HP/MP can be found on his muxtape page, which is where I originally encountered his music. I emailed asking for mp3s, and he kindly sent me the Absentee EP, which is a weird and wonderful work of genius.

Something about the bold, youthful but melancholy character of Clark’s voice is reminiscent of Beirut’s Zach Condon (specifically Condon’s own electro-infused solo project, Realpeople). His songs, like Beirut’s, build with intricately interwoven melodies and rhythms, laced with a subdued aggression (notable in the more glitchy and dissonant moments) which evokes Thom Yorke’s solo work. The lyrics are obscure but weighty, and sit perfectly against a haunting melodic backdrop. Certain lines are bound to reach out and grab you (‘I will eat everything that moves’). There is a song called Maticore Shmanticore, which makes me smile.

With five songs and not a lot of background knowledge, it’s hard to draw many conclusions about the stories behind HP/MP, or which direction its creator is intending to move, but this is certainly gripping, unique, and some of the cleverest but also the most moving music I have heard recently.

visit the muxtape page of HP/MP.