Alex Zhang Hungtai, aka Dirty Beaches, has built an entire career around his restless inner navigation. Living in Vancouver, Montreal, Berlin, Lisbon, and everywhere in between has served him well, feeding into his canon of work that feels both restless and grounded.
Stateless, his sixth and final album as Dirty Beaches,is a four part instrumental, clocking in at 42 minutes of dreamy, droney ambience. Recorded in Lisbon, it was mixed by Dean Hurley, known for his collaborations with David Lynch; fitting for Hungtai who has cited the films of Lynch as an influence on his music.
The mood is dark, beginning with the tension building “Displaced”, featuring the quivering viola of Italian composer Vittorio Demarin, and ominous deep sea sax-waves. “Pacific Ocean” is its own “music for airports”, channeling the emotions of long distance travel and migration, perhaps reflecting Hungtai’s own experience being a drifter.
Stateless is a melancholy swan song for the vagabond. A promising progression into a limitless future for one of our planet's most alluring talents.
★★★★
Zoo Music
