Harbour Century by Eunuchs

Much like James Joyce’s Ulysses follows Leopold Bloom through the city of Dublin as he interacts with the eccentric townspeople of Dublin, the avant garde record Harbour Century by Eunuchs is a multifaceted stream-of-consciousness exposition of the various ne'er-do-wells, criminals, and addicts of Sydney Harbour. Rooted in baroque rock with a jazzy flair, the concept album incorporates lush symphonies, cacophonous noise, nautical folk, and theatrical spoken word, all balanced to create a narrative arrangement. Harbour Century is lyrically dense with poetic tales of life in the harbor town, gruff vignettes of drunken sailors’ stories that feel like living history. By telling these individual stories, Eunuchs paints an impressionistic portrait of the entire harbor, all culminating in a final 17 minute track titled “Heroin King” that reveals the depths of depravity lurking in the underworld of the seaside town. Furthermore, the scale of this project is impressively ambitious, tracking an ensemble of almost 20 musicians to create a complex, immersive soundscape that perfectly suits its dramatics. That being said, it’s never too busy, each section of the orchestra intentionally arranged to capture the subtlety that lies in each track. Grand in scale and rich in character, Harbour Century is a captivating listen that is certain to earn its spot on a few album-of-year lists this year.

- Kalen