LA Composer Umberto Announces New Album HELPLESS SPECTATOR Out 7/12

On July 12th, 2019, LA composer Matt Hill aka Umberto will release his Thrill Jockey debut Helpless Spectator. Ahead of the album release, he shares the album's first single "Spontaneous Possession", a track that perfectly encapsulates Hill's ability to conjure evocative atmospheres and narratives without the need for words.

Hill's work as Umberto is distinctly cinematic. Choosing the moniker as an homage to director Umberto Lenzi, Hill is an experienced and active film composer, most recently scoring the film All That We Destroy. In addition to film and commercial work, Umberto has released a number of lauded solo recordings. Hill's compositions stand apart as beautiful as they are impenetrable, with pulsing synths that hint at 80s slasher films while pensive string passages evoke emotions without being sentimental.

On Umberto's Thrill Jockey debut Helpless Spectator, his haunting music is otherworldly and affecting alike, leaving the listener with an unsettling and profound air of mystery. Hill makes masterful use of varied textures throughout the album, blending supernatural effects and grounded instruments to create distinct atmospheres. Helpless Spectator is inquisitive and moving in equal measure, an album of somber elegance and delicate arrangements whose cumulative effect of unease is entirely unexpected.

Listen on Spotify here: