BIRDCAGE RECORDS: Hecate's Angels Review 4

Under the guidance of lead vocalist, Pietra Wexstun (Drywall, The Stan Ridgway Quintet), HIDDEN PERSUADER is A bold mix of ambient pieces and pop music kissed by chaos.

Capital Q, Sydney, Australia

Yet another new record label, TWA/Birdcage seems to provide local consumers with some quality alternative musical releases, judging by this strong offering. LA based Hecate's Angels have an arty, futuristic cabaret sound, based around the creative vision of musician Pietra Wexstun (responsible for vocals, keyboards, autoharp and melodica, with songwriting and production throughout) and augmented by instrumentation including wind, string and diverse percussion.
Once again, though the music represented on this recording was created for a number of different purposes (including art installation soundscapes), great care has gone into integrating the various pieces into a cohesive whole. The band's name, relating to the Greek Goddess Hecate, also lends itself to the ethereal quality of the music, while the themes explored throughout the set, along with the technology used to bring them to life and touches of humour which often make their presence felt, create a nice counter balance. Though not quite camp, Hecate's Angels are intelligently bizarre and makes an enjoyably interesting change to just about anything you're likely to find in your local record store.