The Quietus - A new rock music and pop culture website

Baker's Dozen

The Business Of Forever: Theo Hutchcraft Of Hurts' Favourite Albums
Simon Price , October 6th, 2015 12:04

The lead singer of classy, continent-conquering synth duo Hurts, about to release their third album, Surrender, goes from Phil Spector to Nine Inch Nails via UK hip-hop and Bulgarian folk songs as he picks his top 13

Le_myst_re_des_voix_bulgares_1444132729_resize_460x400

Bulgarian State Television Female Vocal Choir - Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares
This was re-released on 4AD in the '80s, but I came across it four or five years ago. Someone played it to me and asked, "Have you ever heard anything like this?" It's basically just old Bulgarian women singing Bulgarian folk songs. But there's something about it that is absolutely mesmerising. I still haven't heard anything like it. The way they use harmony and tone is hypnotic, and very, very emotional. And it still sounds fresh. The description "a collection of Bulgarian folk songs" sells it short. It could be a Dead Can Dance record, or This Mortal Coil, something really strange. But it's just these old women. And I play it to people, and the reaction I get is always the same: people are just like, "What is this?!" I don't know what the words are about or anything, but I do feel the emotion. There's a song called 'Svatba' on it, the second song, which is so emotional. It's haunting. And it's very visual, I find. You can listen to it when you aren't latching onto a lyric because you don't understand any of the words, but it still paints a million pictures. I'm quite a visual person, so I find it very... useful, things like this.