Montreal-based experimental icon Tim Hecker will return this fall with Virgins (out on October 14 via Kranky), his first solo LP since 2011's instant classic Ravedeath, 1972. This time around, Hecker recorded live and claimed he wanted to subtract that "grisled distortion and cavernous sound" that was so prevalent on his past releases, instead opting for the more tactile, percussive aural textures of woodwinds, pianos, and synthesizers.

The first single, "Virginal II," features a hypnotic, horror-movie-soundtrack piano riff that slowly swells over the song's first two and a half minutes, as Hecker carefully assimilates new pieces into the track's orbit. The ominous momentum builds-- only to spectacularly disintegrate against a thick web of shimmering metallic distortion and pulsing synthesizers. Hecker exhibits a steely sense of control and focus on "Virginal II," injecting his cacophonous electronic abstractions with palpable drama.