British post-rockers Hood create beautifully evocative music that eschews rock’s usual clichés–lyrically, it’s as likely to advocate waking up early to absorb the beauty of suburban daybreak as it is to encourage sabotaging local train lines to stop a lover from returning home. Initially inspired by post-rock illuminati such as Bark Psychosis and Disco Inferno, the group subsequently drew influence from cavernous dub, corrupted hip-hop, and contemporary micro-house, sampling Robert Wyatt and working with anticon.’s DoseOne and Why? The band’s sibling-nucleus of Richard and Chris Adams has now put Hood on hiatus, separating into The Declining Winter and Bracken, respectively. Below, they talk about each other’s current projects.

Richard Adams
(The Declining Winter) on Bracken

XLR8R: How would you describe your brother’s project?

It’s the sound of a ghost clattering around in a big old house, knocking pots and pans about and falling down the stairs.

What do you think of Bracken?

It’s fantastic. Now I get to hear Chris’ songs without actually doing any work [on] them. And he’s prolific! Three albums in one year is more than Hood ever managed.

Do you listen to Bracken?

I just whack all [the songs] on iTunes and flick through until I find one I like the first five seconds of, and ignore the rest.

How would you improve or change Bracken?

Just by changing the words, replacing all the music, sacking the singer, and altering the cover art.

Is this the end of Hood?

Well, playing in front of 10 people at shows was becoming a bit wearing. I’m happier doing something where I have low expectations and I don’t have to get involved in the horrors of the music industry. But if someone offers us a million pounds to perform Cabled Linear Traction in its entirety, then we might think about it.

Chris Adams (Bracken) on The Declining Winter

XLR8R: How would you describe your brother’s band?

The sound of cassette tapes spilling out of the glove-box of a 1970s Datsun Sunny somewhere in the north of England, captured on Super 8 film.

What do you think of The Declining Winter?

Great. It’s not as fiddly as the stuff I’m doing. (I don’t mean the instrument, as I think there is a fiddle on there.) I mean, it’s not… as fiddly.

Do you listen to them?

Yes, they’re rehearsing in my basement as I write this.

How would you improve or change what they’re doing?

I’d get them to turn it down–Curb Your Enthusiasm is coming on in a minute.

Is this the end of Hood?

By me and Richard releasing records you mean? How does that work?