- Xylouris White at The Tivoli were one of the last live shows I attended prior to the commencement of COVID lockdowns in March 2020. They were touring in support of Bill Callahan and the gig was particularly memorable, not just for its timing, but for their utterly mesmerising performance.

Comprising Jim White on drums and George Xylouris on vocals, lyra and Laouto, two stringed instruments native to Crete, the former played with a bow, the latter strummed. Friends since the early 'nineties, the duo have been performing and releasing music as Xylouris White since 2013. Equal parts post-rock and jazz, fused with the traditional music of Crete, Xylouris White's work is haunting, compelling and sounds unlike anything else.

The Forest in Me embraces a looser, subtler structure than past releases, sounding, for lack of a better word, more experimental, even fragmentary, owing to the shortness of most of the tracks. Each song tends to flow into the next, giving the impression that the album is a continual piece of music as opposed to a collection of individual songs.

Devoid of vocals and lacking the sonic twists and turns of past releases, The Forest In Me is more heavily indebted to ambient music than the energetic songs of Xylouris’ Cretan homeland. White’s expressive and instinctive drumming forms the album’s musical backbone, whilst the rich harmonics, gentle strums and lightly plucked notes of George’s Laouto fill the space, punctuated by the occasional wail and screech of the lyra.

These elements contribute to a timeless and placeless feeling, reminiscent, at times, of White’s most well known group, The Dirty Three. This indefinable quality is uncharted territory for Xylouris White, whose music has always felt firmly rooted in the music of Crete. Likely due, in no small part, to the record's atypical recording process.

Recorded remotely, due to COVID restrictions it was produced, once again, by Guy Picciotto. Having produced each of the group’s past album’s, Picciotto has long been considered an unofficial and until now, non-musical third member. However, with The Forest In Me, he has contributed to three songs, Latin White, Night Club and Long Doll.

Red Wine, an advance single and album highlight, is perhaps the album’s most typically structured song, and one of the few to exceed three minutes in length. Stylistically, it bears the most similarity to the group’s past releases, particularly their 2014 debut Goats, the band’s only other release without vocals.

Sinister and otherworldly, the aptly titled Underworld has the group sounding like a Hadean house band. Characterised by some of Xylouris’ most avant-grade playing, between the occasionally recognisable plucking and strumming of actual notes, he strikes and scratches at muted strings, creating a disconcerting, percussive effect. White’s drums provide accompaniment and contribute sounds reminiscent of dragging chains, further adding to the sense of dread and unease.

At over five minutes, Memories and Souvenirs is the album’s longest track. Further pushing the avant-garde nature of the album, it is driven by the heavy use of the lyra, with its wheezing, wailing tones. Meanwhile, White performs, less as a drummer and more as an atmospheric percussionist, adding to the haunting feel of the lyra. Beautiful, but at the same time, unsettling, it is further proof that Xylouris White are their own beast, with no interest in sounding like anything, or anyone, but themselves.

Never ones to conform to taste or trends, Xylouris White are an idiosyncratic group and The Forest In Me is, easily, their most individual album yet. Pushing the boundaries of each member’s capabilities, they have created something that is both beautiful and difficult. The Forest In Me may not endear itself upon first listen, due to the lack of traditional song structures and its focus on expressive, as opposed to technical playing. Despite these barriers, those who persist and return for multiple listens will find an album rich in intricacy and sonic experimentation; a rewarding record, both harsh and subdued and a testament to the unique, creative force that is Xylouris White.

- Nick Stephan.