*200 copies limited edition* “Rarefied Airs” is the debut album by Glasspack, duo of Henry Birdsey and Ian McColm. Both Birdsey and McColm are part of an extended New Haven (CT) musician family (think of Stefan Christensen, Shirese, David Shapiro, Center, Figured, Tongue Depressor etc.). In Glasspack they fuse Birdsey’s bagpipes with McColm’s computerized sounds to hammer out rock solid modern fourth world music masterpiece.

“Rarefied Airs” offers two long pieces (both ticking at almost 19 minutes) where rich bagpipes landscapes melt together with ponds of repetitive electronics into haunted minimal grooves. No minds left to be hypnotized on this lovecraftian ghastly transmission between Connecticut and New England. Must have for fans of: Oneida “Absolute 2”, Terry Riley “A Rainbow in Curved Air”, Jon Hassell / Brian Eno “Fourth World, Vol. 1: Possible Musics”