Over the past few years Kyle Hamlett has embraced collaboration. This may manifest as a clever pseudonym like Kyle Hamlett Trio and Kyle Hamlett Quattro; signifying the number of others involved or it may be an entirely new name; such as Odon, the name reserved for his collaboration with Sam Fuller-Smith. He’s also been found credited on various other recordings, including appearances with Stone Jack Jones; a like-minded troubador. With his latest release, the Kyle Hamlett Uno EP On the Blink, he finds himself collaborating with famed producer Roger Moutenout. It may not be noted in the name but the work itself serves as a testament to being open to outside influences.
If you’re not familiar, Roger Moutenot has worked with the likes of Yo La Tengo, Sleater-Kinney, Bill Frisell, The Rentals, Jessie Baylin, They Might Be Giants, Chuck Prophet, Rosanne Cash and John Prine. That’s far from the exhaustive list but it does provide great evidence that Moutenot is able to traverse a lot of different styles; presumably because he augments the work in a positive way. In joining up with Hamlett, he’s credited with the overall production as well as providing keys, drums and some vocals. Listening to “On the Blink”, the title track, there’s a newfound ominous vibe and a devilishly aggressive guitar style previously unheard in Hamlett’s compositions. These new elements continue to reveal themselves throughout the three tracks; “Indoor Icestorm” has a refreshing lightness to it and “Another Year of 13 Moons” is shockingly tropical.
None of these tracks come across as a total reinvention of anything Hamlett has done previously but it’s clear that the collaboration has injected new ideas and approaches to the songs. This kind of life injecting energy doesn’t come automatically when working with a producer but when it’s the right producer, it can be absolutely magical. With On the Blink, it’s clear that Hamlett and Moutenot have found that magic in one another.