Named for a UFO that allegedly surfaced on the Japanese coast in the 19th Century, Utsuro Bune is the Providence, Rhode Island-based drone project of Matt Kattman (ex-Kingpin), who shines through on his debut album with a self-awareness that comes out as immediately as in the title, The Drone Remains the Same (Heavy Lifting). Not only is it true of drone and a clever play on Led Zeppelin, but it displays a sense of humor rarely seen in the generally-joyless realm of repetitive of experimental riffing. Utsuro Bune is strictly guitar, effects and loops from Kattman, who also recorded the album himself live on a two-track and did the art for the limited-to-100 physical CDR release. The skull front (it’s either white on black or black on white, depending which way you face the liner in the sleeve) is a little incongruous with the joke in the title, but Kattman pulls everything together musically, so not to worry.

The Drone Remains the Same is comprised of five tracks, two of which are over 10 minutes long. Opener “Massive Atmospheres” (more of that self-awareness) is 10:08 and has a touch of SunnO)))’s hyper-distortion to it, and “Raking the Cosmic Leaves” (more of that humor and just one of the many chores no one considers when owning a piece of the interstellar dream) is 12:10 and more orchestral, brighter-sounding like something off of Earth’s Earth 2. Between the two relative behemoths is the 2:35 “Kinetics,” and following “Raking the Cosmic Leaves” is “Whispers in the Abyss” (5:07) and “Disappear Slowly” (3:13). I wouldn’t go as far to call “Kinetics” or any of the three shorter tracks interludes — in part because it’s drone and it’s not like they’re leading two or from songs with catchy choruses — but they manage well in terms of affecting the overall feel Kattman is going for. Part of his obvious familiarity with the drone scene comes out in the surprising amount of diversity from track to track. In terms of hearing it elsewhere this year, I’d point to fellow New Englander Darryl Shepard’s Blackwolfgoat project, which was similarly able to keep a measure of sonic consistency (essential for drone) while also “changing it up” as much as possible when you’re one dude with a guitar and a pedal board.

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